Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Social Work Bldg room 903, at 4pm on Mon 18 Sep 2023: Evaluating Visualizations for Inference and Decision-Making Research and development in computer science and statistics have produced increasingly sophisticated software interfaces for interactive visual data analysis. Data visualizations have … Continue reading →  ( 10 min )

Tues 19 Sep 2023, 8:30am Pacific time: Better Than Difference in Differences Andrew Gelman, Department of Statistics and Department of Political Science, Columbia University It is not always clear how to adjust for control data in causal inference, balancing the … Continue reading →  ( 10 min )

The prestigious weeklong Leadership Academy for Diversity in Media takes place in October in St. Petersburg, Florida.  ( 6 min )

Plus: The Met Council has approved a $75 million grant to jump-start the Blue Line light-rail extension; Emily Larson and Roger Reinert debate in Duluth; fire tears through the Hastings Creamery building; and more.  ( 6 min )

So far this summer, the Letteracy Deck has attracted a few thousand visitors, tourists and locals alike, to connect and rediscover the lost art of sending postcards.  ( 14 min )

Research has shown that students breathing in lower diesel bus emissions miss 8% fewer school days, their lungs function better and their academic test scores improve.  ( 10 min )

The task force has until February to recommend whether the Legislature should make the Met Council an elected body or adopt other changes in governance.  ( 18 min )

Students can’t make up pandemic losses if they aren’t in class. Yet in many schools, 1 in 4 — or fewer — students show up on a regular basis.  ( 16 min )

Plus: "On Looking" at Highpoint Center for Printmaking; Kevin Kling and Victor Zupanc at Crooners; and the Swans at the Fine Line.  ( 14 min )

Plus: Dakota County considering more long-term efforts to address growing homeless issue; Eastlake Craft Brewery to close; law enforcement once again calls for special session on SROs; and more.  ( 6 min )

In 1959, the Gallup Poll asked "In your opinion, do you think there may be dishonesty in the voting or counting of votes in your district?"  They repeated that question in 1964 (as I once said, it's interesting that they didn't repeat it in late 1960, since that election was very close and there were allegations that voter fraud had made the difference).  That's the only question on voter fraud I can find until the 21st century.  Although the recent questions have been worded differently, I think that they are similar enough to make a comparison useful, so I give it below.  The first column is pessimistic responses--agree that there may be dishonesty or not confident (combining not too and not at all) that votes will be accurately cast and counted.      "In your opinion, do you think there…  ( 9 min )

Bring your drafts to life. Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 7 min )

A case study from a plantser who is working on more outlining Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

We expect death to stink. In our olfactory memory, the idea of decaying organic remains rarely conjures a pleasant odor: sour, fetid, nauseating. But in ancient Egypt, death—and therefore the afterlife—had a different aroma. “They [ancient Egyptian texts] say that when ‘people die, they rot, they decay, they stink, and they will become countless worms.’ This is how they describe it,” says Barbara Huber, doctoral researcher at Max Planck Institute of Geoanthropology in Germany. “If you stink it means your body is already decaying—a bad, bad thing. So in order to be able to live for eternity, you need to smell good.” Imagine notes of beeswax, tree resin, and balsam, with a hint of tar and sweetness. Some of the ingredients behind this woodsy, warm scent have the added benefit, used prope…  ( 20 min )

Sara Calvosa Olson grew up eating acorn soup on the Hoopa Valley Reservation in Northern California. But the traditional foods of her mother’s Karuk community lived in the shadow of the big flavors of cheesy pastas from her father's Italian family. "Her contribution was really the part that sustained our lives," she says, "but his was the part that made it taste good." After she left for college at 16, Calvosa Olson worked to keep her Karuk heritage at arm's length for many years. Only much later did she see how lucky she was to know those foods and traditions. “I realized so many of my peers that I went to school with, they didn’t have the same connection, even growing up on the Rez,” she says. “They didn’t know how to filet a salmon.” Many came from families where elders had been sent …  ( 23 min )

War can leave behind strange legacies. One such odd creation is the existence of Via Ferrata, or "iron path," a system of steel rungs and cables built into the side of mountains. During World War I in the Dolomites mountains of Italy, the mountainous peaks became the heated site of battle between the Austro-Hungarians and Italians. Fixed lines of steel cable were installed to help transport goods so climbers could clip into the lines and be less afraid of falling to their deaths. It was a brutal, icy, battle on those mountains, with soldiers freezing, starving, and falling to their deaths when they weren't being shot at or blown up. However, after the fighting was done, the Via Ferrata remained, ready for adventurous climbers to clip in. Decades later, during World War II, and halfway around the world in West Virginia, the 10th Mountain Division was training to fight on very similar terrain in the Apennines of Italy. To do so, they used the closest analog they could find: Nelson Rocks. The Nelson Rocks, situated in the Monongahela National Forest, are famous for their two fins, thin ridges of rock bursting up 800 feet above the streams running through the forest below. Built in 2002, by private owner Stu Hammett, the Via Ferrata is one of only three found on the east coast of the United States. Climbers go up over 1000 feet of elevation and cross a 200-foot-long suspension bridge on the trip. One of the real draws of Via Ferrata is that it allows non-climbers to take routes, and access heights that would otherwise be too dangerous or technical for them.  ( 14 min )

Kansas is known for its flatness, and sometimes it feels as though the sky can stretch across the whole horizon. In Newton, Kansas, a group of talented artists have created a majestic sculpture to harness and evoke this feeling of the expansive sky. Completed in 2001, the Blue Sky Sculpture was created “to blend with the natural sky,” as a plaque at the viewing stand suggests, which “requires a patient and contemplative viewer.” Painter Phil Epp worked with ceramicists Terry Corbett and Conrad Snider to create an arced and undulating structure, where the cobalt blue glaze of the ceramic tiles and fluffy white painted clouds reflect the color of the sky throughout the day. Viewers are encouraged to stand in between the sculptures, in what is known as the “sky passageway.” To complete the motif, two giant abstract stoneware figures stand next to the sculpture, further encouraging interactivity. The sculpture was donated by local philanthropist and inventor Lloyd E. Smith in memory of his wife, Jacqueline, and has since become a symbol of the community, inspiring further designs and being named one of the Eight Wonders of Kansas Art.  ( 13 min )

There may not be a more welcoming sight than a cool bottle of milk on a hot summer day, and Oklahoma City aims to please. Since 1948, Oklahoma City has displayed its beacon of dairy goodness to thirsty travelers making their way across the Mother Road.  The wedge-shaped red brick building was already an unusual sight on Classen Boulevard when it was built in 1930, as it was one of Oklahoma City’s few triangular lots. At the time, Classon Boulevard was part of Route 66 itself, and the grocery building would be a stop on the streetcar line that ran along the street. In 1948, the milk bottle was added, as a prime example of roadside mimetic architecture, where it has stood ever since. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. Curiously, the building and the milk bottle have always been separate establishments. The building itself, with its unusual size and foot traffic, has hosted several businesses, including a banh mi shop, a barbecue shack, a design studio, and a private nail salon. Likewise, the milk bottle has had a number of different dairy companies adorn it as an advertisement. Currently, the milk bottle bears the logo of Braum’s, the beloved Okie dairy farm, grocery, and fast food chain that has stores across the state.  ( 14 min )

Most European street addresses include a street name and a building number, although which one is written first may depend on the location. For example, in Paris, you can find Shakespeare and Company located at 37 rue de la Bûcherie, while in Munich, Asamkirche is located at Sendlinger Straße 32, and in Prague, Tančící dům is located at Jiráskovo nám. 1981/6. However, the center of the city of Mannheim, Germany, which is referred to as the Quadratestadt (or Quadrate in English) uses a completely different system. The streets, most of which have no name, are organized as a grid that is rotated slightly clockwise from the cardinal directions, and addresses are assigned according to the building’s location in one of the blocks within the grid. The blocks are identified by a letter, which in…  ( 14 min )

On a summer's night in Pureora Forest Park, a reserve in the center of New Zealand's North Island, biodiversity ranger Troy Macdonald is crouched in a clearing. Headlamp on red, he struggles to unfurl the delicate wings of a mouse-sized pekapeka-tou-poto, or lesser short-tailed bat (Mystacina tuberculata). It's Macdonald's first time taking part in the park's annual bat monitoring program, and this task—working out whether the bat is a juvenile or adult by examining its wing development—is particularly fiddly, especially when you're wearing thick leather gloves to protect against bat bites. “It’s like trying to roll a cigarette with wet paper!” he says. While helping teammates clip small fur samples for DNA analysis, Macdonald found the bats “pretty strong and feisty little animals… Th…  ( 20 min )

In the 2013 reality television series Konstkuppen (translated as “The Art Coup”), six well-known artists in six different Swedish cities had six days to collaborate with locals in order to create a new public art piece. One of the participants was artist and comedian Peter Apelgren. He chose Osby, the hometown of his mother-in-law, as the location for crafting his artwork, Apan och Kaninen ("The Bunny and Monkey"), and enlisted the help of local artist Sven-Ingvar Johansson, who is an expert in carving animal figures with chainsaws. Towering at 15 feet (4.5 meters) and constructed from cellular plastic and fiberglass cloth, the animal figures were modeled after two of Apelgren’s childhood toys. The artist wanted to make something "kind and childlike" as a nod to renowned toy manufacturer BRIO, which was based in Osby for over 100 years and runs a popular toy museum in town.  While some locals found the colossal animal duo comical and jokingly called it Sweden's modern answer to the Easter Island statues, others thought the large sculptures ruined the scenic lakefront and that they should be moved to a playground instead.  After being vandalized a few times, the artwork was eventually set on fire one summer night in 2013. As a result, the monkey figure was reduced to ashes and the rabbit figure was scorched. However, thanks to local businesses and the Municipality of Osby, the animal pair was restored and re-inaugurated two years later.  ( 13 min )

Viewed from a bird's eye, Kathmandu takes on the appearance of a sprawling mosaic. The narrow pathways wind through tightly packed houses, revealing medieval courtyards, while the streets below bustle with a multitude of people, cars, and motorcycles that seem to multiply infinitely, painting a portrait of a city bursting at the seams. Long ago, when the city was but a humble settlement, more than 400 stone water spouts were scattered around Kathmandu, standing like guardians of the life-giving liquid. The taps, locally known as dhunge dharas or hitis, have been an integral part of the city's communal water supply for centuries. Predating the introduction of modern pipes in the 1890s, these systems were constructed around 1,500 years ago. Typically made of intricately carved stone, the s…  ( 18 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. How do we determine the time? Believe it or not, there is an official clock. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit that clock, the NIST-F1 Cesium Fountain Atomic Clock, at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Boulder, Colorado. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 13 min )

Parquet – CC BY-SA by tetue Querying a remote parquet file via HTTP with DuckDB. Continue reading: Fast remote parquet

Machine learning (ML) is gaining widespread popularity in the life sciences. Crafting intuitive user interfaces speeds up data exploration and offers modernized ways to present analyses and outcomes from various ML models. For quite some time, R Shiny has been the go-to choice for researchers looking to create top-notch visualizations, ... Continue reading: Exploring Machine Learning-Derived Data in Life Sciences with Shiny Applications

Introduction Continue reading: How to Create a Histogram with Different Colors in R

Here are four representations of the The Klein j-invariant function is a complex function defined on the Continue reading: The pretty Klein j-invariant function  ( 11 min )

Benny Lava 2. Personal quibble but I hate the direct links to twitter because I can’t read the comments since I don’t have an account. Wish there was a better system to post threads from twitter. By far the easiest way to handle this is to get an account with twitter. Anonymous If you want […] The post From the comments, space daddy edition appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments The pub is under new management. While the conversations belong ... by Crikey I need Twitter (I refuse to call it X). Where else am I going ... by God of Thunder In reply to Matt. Appreciate the response. I don't care ... by Bill Kilgore In reply to Benny Lava. i never read NYTimes and WaPo ... by salt Most of modern conservatism can be explained by people who want ... by Casey Plus 10 more... Related Stories Should child influencers have stronger rights to the income they generate? Mimetic desire and India’s IT growth An aggregate Bayesian approach to more (artificial) intelligence?  ( 6 min )

1. The pandemic as time machine (NYT). 2. Who really disapproves of single-parent families? 3. Nicholas Kristof on the new Melissa Kearney book (NYT). 4. Meloni is not stopping Lampedusa arrivals — what is the equilibrium here? 5. Has there been a savings glut? 6. Those new service sector jobs, Taylor Swift journalism edition. The post Thursday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Dinwar. Yes the past was … better in some ways? ... by God of Thunder In reply to yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy. They have appealed ... by sxb Here's a fun narrative. It turns out that Reaganomics was not a ... by Rusty Robot In reply to BC. This morning I was looking for covid ... by MikeP In reply to CB. I checked the first 4 definitions online. ... by Exegete Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

India has been liberalizing its cabotage laws over the past decade and now appears ready to end them completely: Splash: India is planning to completely remove its cabotage laws which will allow foreign registered and flagged ships to work along its coast without obtaining a permit from the country’s Directorate General of Shipping. This is […] The post India Gets Rid of its “Jones Act” appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to John Mansfield. It’s easier if you are born ... by Etalon d’Silomar If you visit Alaska or Hawaii, you won't be there long before ... by Antiplanner In reply to Colin Grabow. The idea is to put a carrot with a ... by Boonton In reply to John Mansfield. If I am needed, I am not absurd. ... by Equestrian In reply to question for alex. Abolish all regulations on ... by myst_05 Plus 10 more... Related Stories Do not underrate the elasticity of supply How Credible is the Credibility Revolution? The Ball the Bat and the Hopeless  ( 7 min )

That is the topic of my latest Bloomberg column.  You can think of this as a government regulation issue, but alternatively you could frame it as the government enforcing individual property rights that currently are absent.  Here is one excerpt: More and more children, by which I mean minors below legal working age, are producing content as […] The post Should child influencers have stronger rights to the income they generate? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Oddly, child labor laws seem to be being ignored… by JK Brown Finally a topic that I actually know stuff about, not that that ... by Tom In reply to Rahul. Well for one, a big source of child labor ... by Sure Tyler has not sufficiently explained the statute in the text ... by Ricky In reply to to be more forthcoming, the 60s were different. ... by Vivian Darkbloom Plus 10 more... Related Stories From the comments, space daddy edition U.S.A. fact of the day Law-Abiding Immigrants  ( 8 min )

There has staggeringly been only one U.S. representative among the league’s top 10 rebounders for each of the past three seasons. That is from Marc Stein.  How did that happen?  Where is the current-day Charles Oakley?  Moses Malone, our nation turns it lonely eyes to you!  Dennis Rodman would do as well. Yet here is […] The post Model this, NBA rebounding edition appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Naveen K. Avoiding turnovers is probably more ... by Go find and read the article on how important Rodman's rebounding was to winning In reply to BC. NBA looks for height, hops, wingspan then ... by Because football looks for athletes, then figures out what to do with them In reply to Not really a European sport. Seriously, you don't ... by Or basketball is huge in europe, with lots of good leagues, lots of great players, etc. “Moses Malone, our nation turns it lonely eyes to you! Dennis ... by Mark Bahner This is not true — there are two US players in the top 10 ... by Fred Bush Plus 10 more... Related Stories The Ball the Bat and the Hopeless Model this (p.s. price controls!) My Conversation with Vishy Anand  ( 7 min )

New research in mice suggests that a stem cell involved in backbone development might help tumors from other parts of the body move to the spine

NASA has appointed a director of unidentified anomalous phenomena research to advance that area of scientific investigation

In some cardiac arrest patients, a flurry of brain activity during life-saving CPR may be a sign of a "near-death experience"

The C-17 Globemaster III—which transports troops and tanks—may have to shed weight as rising temperatures driven by climate change affect flying conditions

Letters between Lise Meitner and the chemist Otto Hahn reveal how she struggled with Hahn's failure to credit her work and condemn the Nazi atrocities

Apollo moon landing conspiracy theories were early hints of the dangerous anti-vax, antiscience beliefs backed by politicians today

A pilot program for high schoolers offers a blueprint in getting students involved in cutting-edge particle physics research

TRAPPIST-1 could make or break the extended push to make red dwarfs an astrobiological priority

The pandemic provided a natural experiment, one that suggests fewer people in jail does not lead to more crime

Drivers may sacrifice safety and privacy in exchange for the advanced tech features in their “smart” cars

Also ARM’s IPO priced, CS Disco options did not pay out and don’t talk about market share in email.  ( 2 min )

This week Laurent Fargues has started a series of lectures here at Columbia on Some new geometric structures in the Langlands program. Videos are available here, but unfortunately there is a problem with the camera in that room, making the … Continue reading →  ( 6 min )

We soaked, wrung, and scrubbed our floors to find a mop that was easy to use and sopped up messes fast.  ( 27 min )

This immersion blender aced all of our tests, and this deal also includes a blending jar, whisk attachment, and accessory stand.  ( 11 min )

Waves in an Impossible Sea, on the intersection of modern physics with human existence and daily life, is essentially done and edited now — not perfect, of course, but as good as I have had time to make it. Now I await the proofs. The book is supposed to appear in early March. Here’s the ... Read more  ( 13 min )

Team Ratings for Week 7 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Wellington 11.55 8.72 2.80 Canterbury 8.55 9.44 -0.90 North Harbour 5.41 7.75 -2.30 […] Bunnings NPC Predictions for Week 7 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

During the past few weeks, we've looked at the throttling of Cantonese in Hong Kong.  Now, far to the north of the Chinese empire, the CCP is ramping up the war against Mongolian: Inner Mongolia: China accused of 'cultural genocide' for school language shift Debi Edward, ITV News (9/1/23) —- Inner Mongolia is the latest province in China where […]  ( 8 min )

By this point, the evidence is clear: The Covid-19 pandemic can be traced back to a bat virus. Indeed, bats are known reservoirs for many viruses that can spill over to humans and become dangerous. To help prevent the next pandemic, two experts argue, humanity must leave bats and their habitats undisturbed.  ( 12 min )

Right after you’ve written a paragraph or drawn a picture, the struggle to get it right is still fresh in your mind. You can still remember the effort of putting every word and line on the page and you see the moves you are least sure of most clearly. They stand out. When drawing, you … Continue reading Fresh Eyes →  ( 5 min )

The machine-learning method works on most mobile devices and could be expanded to assess other motor disorders outside of the doctor’s office.  ( 10 min )

I've previously written more than once about the problem of compound words whose meaning is partly but not entirely related to the meanings of their parts, often referring back to a passage in my 1992 chapter with Richard Sproat, "The Stress and Structure of Modified Noun Phrases in English": We now turn to N0 compounds where […]  ( 7 min )

This is a simple-minded follow-up to "New models of speech timing?" (9/11/2023). Before getting into fancy stochastic-point-process models, neural or otherwise, I though I'd start with something really basic: just the distribution of inter-syllable intervals, and its relationship to overall speech-segment and silence-segment durations. For data, I took one-minute samples from 2006 TED talks by […]  ( 7 min )

This is a problem that has been troubling colleagues across the country. "Why fewer university students are studying Mandarin" Learning the difficult language does not seem as worthwhile as it once did Economist (Aug 24th 2023) China | How do you say “not interested”? Ten years ago Mandarin, the mother tongue of most Chinese, was […]  ( 18 min )

For the past eight years, an education researcher in Spain has been waging an unsuccessful battle – including legal action – to quash a retraction she argues should never have happened.  Her paper, about the use of digital tools in early childhood education, was pulled by Computers & Education just months after it was published … Continue reading Overturning a dubious retraction proves difficult for education professor  ( 10 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Hurricane Lee is no longer a Category 5 storm but has grown in size as it has trekked farther north

Scientists analyzed nine so-called planetary boundaries and found humans are currently transgressing six

The decision to send hominin bones on a commercial spaceflight has raised eyebrows among paleontologists

Only 1.1 percent of autistic adults in the U.S. access key publicly funded employment services. A broken disability service system is why

A recent examination of Vivitrol’s clinical trial data uncovered many hidden overdoses. Its preferential use in the criminal justice system must stop

A honeybee swarm has as much electric charge as a thundercloud, and the insects’ mass movements in the atmosphere might even have some influence on the weather.

Despite efforts to make a planned city in the Saudi Arabian desert sustainable, its layout could create problems

Understand the perspective that best works for your story Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Characters NEED a strong position or stance on something. Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 7 min )

More than just a way to cross over the River Wear, Elvet Bridge hides chapels, a prison, and possible hidden arches. The Prince Bishop, Hugh de Puiset, had construction started in 1160.  However, he never saw it finished as it took a long time for construction to be completed with records showing that in 1228 the church was still granting indulgences to people helping in its construction. (An indulgence was a way for someone to reduce their punishment in the afterlife for sins committed while alive.) Not much of this original bridge remains—only one of the current arches dates from the 12th century, and the other arches are part of the 13th-century construction. This leads to the first unusual story of Elvet Bridge.  While the bridge is described as having 10 arches, there have long …  ( 14 min )

Atlas Obscura’s Wondersky columnist Rebecca Boyle is an award-winning science journalist and author of the upcoming Our Moon: How Earth’s Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are (January 2024, Random House). She regularly shares the stories and secrets of our wondrous night sky. Mercury is a wasteland. It is an overbaked, Sun-blasted, empty little rock, more like the inner core of a world than a proper planet like its brethren Earth, Venus, and Mars. Mercury will never be a target in the search for extraterrestrial life. It would be almost as difficult to visit as Pluto or the Sun itself. But the first planet from the Sun is one of the most powerful forces in astrology, especially when it appears to move backward across the sky. That’s why…  ( 18 min )

In the gloaming, two women begin to dance. They lift their hands to the sky, snapping to the piano’s rhythm, swirling their full skirts in time. The first, a red scarf wrapped around her waist, begins to sing, her words rising and falling like autumn leaves. Around them, the scene, a simple patio set in the remains of the day’s tropical heat, takes shape as men in khaki uniforms raise their own voices in shades of tenor, baritone, and bass. It is the first time this opera, Lucien-Léon Lambert’s La Flamenca, has been performed in over a hundred years, just one of the dozens of forgotten works written by New Orleans’s 19th-century composers of color that local opera company OperaCreole is bringing to the stage. Although classical music has always included the contributions of people of c…  ( 18 min )

Many people may not know that there are actually two museums celebrating the Grammy Awards. The first is located in the L.A. Live complex, just steps from the arena where the Grammy Awards are most often held. The second, naturally, is located in the small town of Cleveland, Mississippi, two hours away from the nearest big city. So… what are artifacts from the most famous pop music stars and a massive museum with interactive exhibits doing in a place like Cleveland? There are a few answers. The answer the Grammy Museum Mississippi offers is that Cleveland is located in the Mississippi Delta, as one of a string of music museums dotting the landscape of the cradle of American music along the Mississippi Blues Trail between Memphis and Jackson. Additionally, the proximity to Delta State University gives it an educational function. A more cynical answer may have to do with the flow of economic development funding to Mississippi in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, and how much of it was used on major white elephant projects instead of direct aid to its residents. Either way, the GRAMMY Museum Mississippi is a striking 28,000-square-foot building that combines L.A. glitz with Delta architectural vernacular. Exhibits include outfits worn by popstars including Beyoncé, Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Charli XCX, and more, alongside exhibits of blues greats such as Bobby Rush and local legend B.B. King. A special spotlight is placed on Mississippi music legends from Jimmie Rodgers through today, including Elvis Presley, who was born in Tupelo. Finally, the museum includes films, theatrical presentations, and a soundstage and studio, with interactive exhibits on the blues to help you hone your skills on your way to a Grammy nomination of your own.  ( 14 min )

Finchale Priory was founded in 1196 upon the site of St. Godric's Hermitage. Originally a sailor, although some would say a pirate, St. Godric visited Lindisfarne, where he underwent a religious conversion and gave up a life on the seas to devote his life to religion. (Godric was never formally canonized, so the term "saint" is a bit of a misnomer.) Following a long illness, perhaps brought on by the hardship of his self-imposed ascetic lifestyle which included sleeping outdoors in all weather, Godric died in 1170. After his death, two monks were sent to occupy the hermitage.  The main buildings of the priory date to 1237, and the church was completed in 1277. It didn't become a priory in its own right after Henry du Puiset, the Bishop of Durham's son was convinced to bestow upon it sa…  ( 14 min )

Neodesha, Kansas is the birthplace of the great plains oil boom. The replica oil well found in this small Kansas town is a symbol of the discovery that reshaped America. The commercial petroleum industry got its start in 1859 in Pennsylvania, and eventually enterprises were set up across the Appalachian basin. By the 1890s, rumors of glowing gas springs that abounded in southeast Kansas led local citizens to encourage William Mills, a Pennsylvania oil prospector, to come to town to supply natural gas to the residents of Neodesha.  After surveying several plots of land, Mills eventually chose the four-acre garden of local blacksmith T.J. Norman and began drilling on the banks of the Verdigris River. On November 28, 1892, Mills struck oil at 832 feet underground. The site became the firs…  ( 14 min )

Just a little walk away from the Royal Castle in Warsaw (Zamek Królewski w Warszawie) in the city's historic center is a church with an odd piece of decoration. During renovations to the church in the late 18th century, workers discovered a mammoth skeleton while digging a new foundation. Ever since a colossal bone from the find has been on display within the historic church.   This church is one of two churches in Warsaw dedicated to St. Anne. The church with the mammoth bone, St. Anne's Church or Kościół św. Anny, is in the city center: The second church, the Belfry at St. Anne, is in in the historic Wilanów district where King John III Sobieski of Poland's Wilanów Palace is located. The two churches mark the beginning and end of the Royal Route, which connects the Royal Castle with Wilanów Palace. Initially, the 14th-century Church of St. Leonard stood on this site. Later, in 1772, Prince August Adam Czartoryski commissioned architect Jan Kotelnicki to rebuild the church using bricks in a Neoclassical style. It was during this second phase of construction that the mammoth skeleton was discovered. The newly renovated church was renamed St. Anne's Church. In the second half of the 19th century, the church was renovated in a Neo-Rennaisance style by Enrico Marconi, Leonardo Marconi, and Jan Huss. Sculptor Bolesław Syrewicz also made sculptures to dot the church's façades and the wall decorations were added by Antoni Kolberg. The church survived both World Wars with minimal damage, and today is one of Warsaw's oldest buildings.  ( 14 min )

The 1968 Tlatelolco Massacre is almost certainly the best-known case of the country's government reacting with deadly force to student protests, but it was not the last one. Just three years later on June 10, the Feast of Corpus Christi, a paramilitary group known as Los Halcones (The Hawks) repressed another student protest in Mexico City, with around 120 victims. Due to the date and perpetrators, this would come to be known as both the Halconazo and Corpus Christi Massacre. As had been the case in the entire country's modern democracy, and up to 2000, the ruling party was the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). At the time, the authorities maintained that the Halcones were an independent organization. In the following years however, direct connections were established between the group and the PRI, several institutions of the Mexico City government, and even the CIA, as there have been suspicions that they assisted in their training. This goes to show that, even as a paramilitary organization, the Halcones enacted the massacre under the auspices of the city and national authorities. Forty years later, this sculpture was installed outside the city's Escuela Normal (Teaching School) as this was the alma mater of many of the victims of the massacre. Its sculptor, Enrique Carbajal (known as Sebastián), was actually arrested and held in a military prison in 1968, so his role as the artist behind this piece is symbolic. Additionally, he has often been commissioned for public artworks, usually in a signature monochrome, abstract style. The 2011 sculpture, which might be officially titled Sangre Derramada ("Spilled Blood"), although this is unclear, represents several elements related to the massacre. At the bottom, a Christian cross ties the monument to the Corpus Christi date. Atop, glyphs similar to those used by the country's pre-Columbian cultures are piled up to form a 15-meter-tall structure. The monument is completed by a plaque listing the names of 40 of the victims of that day.  ( 14 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit the Onöhsagwë:de’ Cultural Center in Upstate New York, a sprawling museum dedicated to the Seneca-Iroquois Nation. There we learn about "The Creator's Game”–which evolved into the sport now known as lacrosse–and the Onödowá'ga peoples' constant fight to be recognized. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 14 min )

The R-Consortium recently talked to Adriana Picoral of the R-Ladies Tucson about the diverse R community in Tucson, Arizona. Adriana founded the R-Ladies chapter in 2018 and has been actively... Continue reading: Utilizing R for Reproducible Open Science Research in Tucson, Arizona

Introducing the State of Shiny 2023 report – your comprehensive guide to the latest trends and insights in the dynamic world of Shiny. This report sheds light on the ever-evolving landscape of Shiny, a popular web application framework for R programming and Python languages, by uncovering the practices and challenges faced by ... Continue reading: State of Shiny 2023 – Download Report

Appsilon’s Top 10 Picks for the Upcoming posit::conf 2023 The posit::conf 2023 event is on the horizon, and the Appsilon team is brimming with excitement as they unveil their selection of the most anticipated sessions. CEO Filip Stachura, President Damian Rodziewicz, and COO Paweł Przytuła have thoughtfully curated a ... Continue reading: Appsilon’s Top 10 Sessions to Check Out at posit::conf 2023

Introduction Continue reading: How to Plot Multiple Plots on the Same Graph in R

Although computer scientists may initially treat data bias and error as a nuisance, researchers argue it’s a hidden treasure trove for reflecting societal values.  ( 10 min )

Researchers use synthetic data to improve a model’s ability to grasp conceptual information, which could enhance automatic captioning and question-answering systems.  ( 10 min )

When he isn’t investigating human motor control, the graduate student gives back by volunteering with programs that helped him grow as a researcher.  ( 10 min )

Churrasco takes different forms around South and Central America. This one channels the Argentine approach, cooked on a plancha or grill and bathed in herbal and garlicky chimichurri sauce.  ( 15 min )

We tested the GE Profile Smart Mixer and while it was great in analog mode, it’s smart features let us down.  ( 24 min )

Studies have shown that it is more likely to spread harmful bacteria than wash it away. Whether you wash your chicken or not, the most important thing is to apply good food safety practices at home to avoid cross-contamination and the spread of illness-causing bacteria; here, we walk through all of these best practices.  ( 16 min )

Also Stoner Cats, assumable mortgages and FTX 2.0.  ( 2 min )

Plus: Mother of shooting victim almost shot on the same spot; Carver County Library Board votes to keep “Gender Queer: A Memoir” available to check out; Minneapolis Animal Care and Control waving adoption fees on Friday; and more.  ( 6 min )

In Minnesota's 5th Congressional District, the latest potential recruit by the pro-Israel group AIPAC to run against Ilhan Omar is DFL state Sen. Bobby Joe Champion.  ( 17 min )

After grappling with “what it means to be a white man shot in the struggle for Black liberation,” Stevenson decided to run for office. If he wins, he’ll unseat a pioneering Black and trans politician.  ( 40 min )

They'll discuss the political and media landscape shaping Minnesota and the country today.  ( 7 min )

Residential addiction treatment programs that allow parents to bring their children along have been recognized for their success. But a mix of logistical challenges and low reimbursement rates mean they struggle to stay afloat.  ( 17 min )

Can anyone say they haven’t seen any news about Donald Trump and the 2020 election?  ( 18 min )

Plus: Talon nickel mine receives millions from Department of Defense; Black business owners appeal to congress on challenges for St. Paul entrepreneurs; former gymnastics coach pleads guilty to child sex abuse charges; and more.  ( 7 min )

The Ural Math Battle in 2016 had several mafia-themed problems of various difficulty with the same initial setup. Puzzle Setup. Among 100 residents of Saint-San, m are mafiosi, and the rest are civilians. A commissioner arrived to the town after getting this information. In an attempt to expose the mafia, this commissioner asked each of […]  ( 5 min )

1. “Today, we launched the John Stuart Mill Fellowship, a one-year program that allows entrepreneurs to study the philosophical underpinnings of major ideas related to markets, politics, and society.” Mercatus. 2. “Curiously, the wild boars remained radioactive.” 3. The lost lifting stones of Ireland. 4. Are we living through a new scientific revolution, with side […] The post Wednesday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to sxb. “If the fraction is say, 1/3 and the cost ... by Lord Action In reply to M. Great take! by Reason There is a quiet revolution in the way we are doing science. ... by Kevin In reply to Dinwar. I think the framing is not whether a ... by sxb In reply to M. Depends on what he means here. Is he talking ... by Gridlock Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

From an email I sent to a well-known public intellectual: I think the chance that the bodies turn out to be real aliens is quite low. But the footage seems pretty convincing, a way for other people to see what…sources have been telling me for years. [Everyone needs to stop complaining that there are no […] The post What I think appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Bldysabba. I put the possibility of it he USS ... by Naveen K How do we reconcile two facts – (a) a life form that can ... by Old Primate If these creatures cross the border would it be acceptable to ... by MotoFlyy In reply to Advanced Intelligent Lifeform. Truly one of the ... by Breeq you should fuck off and go back to your hole by anonymous Plus 10 more... Related Stories Ho hum model this My Conversation with the excellent Jerusalem Demsas How to travel in India  ( 7 min )

Last year in Get the Lead Out of Turmeric! I reported that adulteration of turmeric was a major source of lead exposure among residents of rural Bangladesh. Well there is good news: the lead is gone! Wudan Yan at UnDark reports the remarkable story of academic research quickly being translated into political action that improves […] The post They Got the Lead Out of Turmeric! appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to steve. The problem has definitely been around for ... by Clark In reply to mkt42. At least two, yes . . . . by Edward Burke In reply to M. What market failure caused this? Is it that ... by Reason Nice story, academic research that has real-world effects. But ... by mkt42 In reply to Edward Burke. “… cadmium out of chocolates? ... by mkt42 Plus 10 more... Related Stories U.S.A. fact of the day China fact of the day Russia-Africa facts of the day  ( 9 min )

After the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade last year, it looked like the number of abortions would soon plummet across the country. But new estimates suggest that has not happened. The number of legal abortions has held steady, if not increased, nationwide since 2020, our colleagues Amy Schoenfeld Walker and Allison McCann reported today. […] The post U.S.A. fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments +100,000 by anonymous In reply to George Oh-Well. I'll take Idaho for $800, Alex… by Old Programmer In reply to Sure. “I feel just a bit icky whenever somebody ... by well yes, but In reply to Dino the Isaurian. Sadly, the COVID shots provide ... by Oldcurmudgeon In reply to Oldcurmudgeon. Sounds like a brand of tampons to ... by "Amy and Allison" Plus 10 more... Related Stories China fact of the day Why is the minor key rising in popularity? Russia-Africa facts of the day  ( 6 min )

When I first read about the discovery of a vast new deposit of lithium in a volcanic crater along the Nevada-Oregon border, I can’t say that I was surprised. Not because I know anything about geology — but because, as an economist, I am a strong believer in the concept of elasticity of supply… Now about elasticity of […] The post Do not underrate the elasticity of supply appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments You get paid for explaining the bits of economics that children ... by dearieme In reply to Worley. Yes, absolutely. The numbers and patterns ... by mkt42 In reply to BC. This => “Of course, the reason for the ... by EdR In reply to blue jay. “Looks like fund-raising ... by EdR Lithium mining, even when done with environmental safeguards, ... by JK Brown Plus 10 more... Related Stories How Credible is the Credibility Revolution? The Ball the Bat and the Hopeless A matching framework with neither evidence nor theory on its side  ( 7 min )

The Mexican government releases some of its footage.  And more.  Here is 4.5 hours, I have not watched it.  Here is lots of Twitter commentary.  And one snatch of detail on the corpse. Is this just the Virgen of Guadalupe all over again?  But with photos and sensor readings?  Por favor, explica’ me a mi! The post Ho hum model this appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Ok, I confess: haven’t read all the comments. Could this be a ... by Greg Here's your model: ... by efp In reply to Dino the Isaurian. Oh for sure by Chrostian Fundamentalists I won't weigh in on the aliens aspect of this because I know ... by Worley Is it not possible that these could be human corpses preserved ... by Hazel Meade Plus 10 more... Related Stories My Conversation with the excellent Jerusalem Demsas How to travel in India What should I ask Jacob Mikanowski?  ( 6 min )

Mapstodon 📌 “A quick and dirty graph-viz of around 4500 instances of the fediverse...” Vale (github)📌 “...an open-source, command-line tool that brings your editorial style guide to life” (cross-platform) OS.js Web Desktop (demo) (github)📌 “...an open-source JavaScript web desktop platform with a window manager, application APIs, GUI toolkit, filesystem abstractions and much more” ToolWeb.site 📌 “a curated list of useful websites and tools” An Open Letter from Artists Using Generative AI 📌 “As part of Creative Commons’ ongoing community consultation on generative AI, CC has engaged with a wide variety of stakeholders, including artists and content creators, about how to help make generative AI work better for everyone.”  ( 2 min )

Campos quotes from one of the many stories floating around regarding ridiculous of cryptocurrency scams. I’m not saying it should’ve been obvious in retrospect that crypto was a scam, just that (a) it always seemed that it could be a … Continue reading →  ( 22 min )

Jennifer Zhang, who took my applied statistics class a few years ago, writes: I am now working at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in DC. I’m writing to share an exciting job opportunity that I hope some of your students … Continue reading →  ( 11 min )

Just a quick one today. I spent the morning making sure my audio equipment was working for a lecture capture I was doing and it ended up taking up my writing time. As I said on Monday, under ordinary circumstances I would just let it go and not write at all today. But the whole … Continue reading Things to Do with Your Hands →  ( 5 min )

A new HPV vaccine may drastically change cervical cancer management in India and other middle and lower-income countries. But the government rollout has hit delays, and health care workers also face vaccine hesitancy. Cervical cancer screening, meanwhile, will still be necessary for many women.  ( 17 min )

Not the new one, sorry

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In my last post, I said that I didn't think that contemporary political problems in the United States are a reflection of social problems (the loss of meaningful connections) or economic problems (lack of growth in working-class standards of living), but of failures of political leadership.  But that raises the question of why political leadership has become worse.  One part of the answer is a combination of American political institutions and changes in the nature of parties.  The institutions worked reasonably well when parties were loosely organized and not very ideological, but when the parties are ideological, they create bad incentives for politicians.  One reason is the dominance of the two-party system means that negative partisanship can be at least as effective as trying to make …  ( 9 min )

Here’s what to know about the fall COVID boosters, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended for all people aged six months and older

Healthy oceans are central to the well-being of both our species and our entire planet

Schools are a growing battlefield in climate politics as conservative states reshape their curriculum to downplay people’s contribution to rising temperatures

Artificial intelligence systems in health care must be trained on the data of lived experience to prevent bias and disparities

The discovery of a hole in Earth’s protective ozone layer in 1985 led to a worldwide effort to heal it. But are there lessons that can be applied to today’s treaty talks on climate change?

The Apollo 17 lunar lander base is creating small-scale moonquakes on a daily basis

A trapezoid was key to discovering the elusive answer to a riddle about Möbius strips

A trapezoid was key to discovering the elusive answer to a riddle about Möbius strips

Don’t be annoyed if you fail at a certain level of the popular game Candy Crush Saga; computers also have their problems with it

A new arXival on nested sampling, Snowballing Nested Sampling by Johannes Buchner, just appeared. The idea behind this short note is to increase the number of “live” points at each iteration. (How?! Depending on how the different additions are dependent, the effective sample size will vary.) This exacerbates the tendency of the algorithm to concentrate […]  ( 7 min )

A new arXival on nested sampling, Snowballing Nested Sampling by Johannes Buchner, just appeared. The idea behind this short note is to increase the number of “live” points at each iteration. (How?! Depending on how the different additions are dependent, the effective sample size will vary.) This exacerbates the tendency of the algorithm to concentrate […]  ( 7 min )

Long ago, coalgebras of all kinds lived together.  ( 15 min )

Long ago, coalgebras of all kinds lived together.  ( 15 min )

In the crystal blue waters of La Paz, Mexico, a 30-foot long creature glides just below the surface. Next to it, a comparatively tiny human struggles to keep up, swimming by the creature's side. While the tag-along may seem like an eager tourist, it’s actually a scientist imitating one. His fellow researchers look on via boat and drone, taking aerial footage of how the largest fish in the sea—the whale shark—responds to “tourists” frantically trying to keep up with them in the hope of a once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience. But for the sharks, this attention is a double-edged sword. People can be annoying, but their love—and tourist dollars—can help protect the massive, docile sharks. “It's definitely an example of where you could love an animal to death kind of thing,” says senior d…  ( 20 min )

Heinabergslón is a glacial lagoon within Vatnajökull National Park. Vatnajökull Park covers approximately 14 percent of Iceland and consists of a stunning mixture of majestic mountains, active volcanoes, massive glaciers, and mesmerizing lagoons.  Heinabergslón Lagoon is fed from the Heinabergsjokull glacier, which is part of the larger Vatnajökull ice cap. When the water melts, it pools in lagoons, such as Heinabergslón. Because of the tumultuous geology of this region, the melting water often carries volcanic dust, making the water in these basins quite murky. However, Heinabergslón is more than 330 feet deep, enabling the detritus to sit at the bottom of the lagoon, leaving the water at the surface crystal clear. Heinabergslón is a mere 23 miles from the much more famous Jökulsárlón…  ( 14 min )

Washington Square park located in the Marigny and bordered by the alluring Frenchmen Street, houses a discreet sculpture along the Dauphine Street fence. The New Orleans AIDS Memorial is a Tim Tate design unveiled in 2008 following an international design competition for the memorial. Local artist Mitchell Gaudet cast and built the piece titled “Guardian’s Wall” featuring 34 glass faces set in an 8-foot tall 35-foot-wide structure. The installation alongside neighboring benches with memorial bricks offers a place to reflect, heal, and understand the human toll of the AIDS epidemic. The global AIDS epidemic began in the 1980s and in the subsequent decades has claimed more than 39 million lives. The stigma associated with the infection often leads to isolation and loss of community. While there have been major medical advances, AIDS still represents a public health concern.  ( 13 min )

Located on the Boulevard of Nikola Tesla, Hotel Yugoslavia is a historic hotel located in Belgrade, the former capital of the state after which the building is named. It holds great cultural and historical significance as one of the city's most iconic landmarks, holding nostalgic value for many people who remember its role as a luxurious meeting place in Yugoslavia. What's more, it was visited by a plethora of highly renowned international celebrities, politicians, athletes, and artists since its construction, including Queen Elizabeth II, Richard Nixon, Neil Armstrong, and Belgian and Dutch royals. After it was built in 1969, the hotel quickly became a symbol of the modernization and progress of Yugoslavia. It was designed by a team of prominent Yugoslav architects led by Lavoslav Horvat, and features a distinctive Brutalist architectural style on the banks of the Danube. Over the years, the hotel has undergone renovations to update its facilities and amenities while preserving its architectural character. In its heyday, it was a five-star hotel, laced with chandeliers and lavish silver and gold elements, but today it is a more affordable three-star hotel that offers a range of comfortable accommodations. It is without a doubt that the hotel has faced challenges and changes over the years such as being severely damaged in the NATO bombing of the 90s. It will, however, eternally remain a recognizable symbol of Belgrade's history and architectural heritage.  Today, Hotel Jugoslavija continues to welcome guests from around the world, offering a blend of modern comforts, historic charm, and beautiful riverfront views. It serves as a reminder of the city's past, with many solemn documentaries such as Hotel Yugoslavia (2017) having been filmed about the once full-of-life hotel in the quaint neighborhood of Zemun.  ( 13 min )

Open since the 1950s, this unique gift shop and roadside attraction is carved into the side of a cave. Originally, this area was a natural feature, locally known as the Ice Cave, carved from the nearby Rio Ruidoso. The land was used by the Mescalero Apache nation and may have been a sanctuary for Geronimo, the legendary Apache leader. Later, it was purportedly used by Billy the Kid as a hideout. These facts are likely "history-ish," but Billy the Kid did live along the trail that now bears his name, and famously escaped from the nearby Lincoln County Courthouse. In the early 1950s, the store’s unique structure was built, and in 1954, it was sold to George Fuchs, along with his wife Mildred. Fuchs renamed Ice Cave the Fox Cave, pronounced like his last name. The store was a popular roadside stop along Highway 70 through the 1950s, but its legacy faded over time. The site had been long abandoned when Arnold Duke, a gemologist and proprietor of the nearby Ruidoso River Museum, purchased it in 2010. Putting some care into its rehabilitation, the site has reopened as a mid-century style tourist trap, although one with an unusually strong gem collection. The place is replete with aliens, dinosaurs, relics of the Old West, and all sorts of curios to browse or purchase, all while standing within the cave’s walls.  ( 13 min )

Resting about 12 miles from the small subarctic town of Churchill, Manitoba, the MV Ithaka has become one of the area's iconic landmarks. Although best known for polar bears and beluga whales, Churchill also offers two large wrecks—the Ithaka and the Miss Piggy cargo plane—as tourist attractions. Surrounded by water at high tide, the former may be visited on foot when the tide is out or in winter when the bay freezes. Built as a lake freighter in Quebec, Canada, for the George Hall Coal Company, the Ithaka was originally christened the Frank A. Augsbury and launched on October 21, 1922. After several ownership, name, and cargo changes—including carrying out transport service during World War II—the ship was sold for the last time in 1960 to the Ithaka Shipping Company and registered to a…  ( 14 min )

Ting1, completed in 2013 in Örnsköldsvik, is one of Sweden’s most remarkable residential buildings, captivating with its vibrant colors, distinctive architecture, and innovative construction. Its façade of glazed high-gloss ceramics stands in striking contrast to the gray brutalist concrete of the 1967 courthouse it sits on top of. The new building appears perched on the courthouse’s roof, yet no physical contact exists between the two structures due to a discreetly positioned 26-foot by 26-foot base in the old building’s courtyard, creating a clever architectural composition reminiscent of a substantial mushroom with its stem securely anchored within the enclosed plaza. Designed by acclaimed architect Gert Wingårdh, Ting1 boasts 11 floors and a façade featuring 78 glass balconies offering stunning views of the High Coast region’s landscape, including the iconic ski jumping hills. This design contributes to the building’s artistic vibrancy, drawing inspiration from a pixelated version of the late regional artist Bengt Lindström’s oil painting Women's Dance. Ting1, called "the LEGO house" or "the Coronavirus" by some locals, stirs both acclaim and controversy. It was a finalist for the Swedish Building of the Year 2014 award and won the Great Tile Award that year. However, differing opinions emerged, labeling it as "Ångermanland Province's ugliest building" in a local 2016 poll, and it was critically spotlighted by the Arkitektupproret (Architectural Uprising) movement, which fights against modernism. This mix of accolades and critiques vividly shapes Ting1's unique standing in architectural discussions.  ( 13 min )

Omar Khayyam, best known for his poetry Rubáiyát, was a Persian polymath learned in the ways of astronomy, philosophy, and mathematics. Born in the ancient city of Nishapur, he died in 1131 B.C. at 83 and was buried in his hometown. The poet’s tomb survived the test of time through Mongol invasions and natural disasters, developing into part of a shrine. In 1934, the Iranian government under the Pahlavi dynasty commissioned the reconstruction of his mausoleum, which would be completed 31 years later. Designed by the architect Hooshang Seyhoun, the new Omar Khayyam Mausoleum is an outstanding beauty many consider a masterpiece of modern Persian architecture. A large marble monument standing in a serene garden, it is decorated with verses from Rubáiyát written in the taʿlīq script, glowing in an oasitic blue shade.  ( 12 min )

In August we invited animal lovers to send us their favorite images of creatures they've encountered in their explorations. We at Atlas Obscura have always been fascinated by critters big and small—their secret lives, what they tell us about the world and ourselves—so we wanted to know: What in the animal kingdom catches your eye? You showed us horses galloping through fields, lionesses with cubs, and bees on colorful flowers. Most of all, we saw a lot of birds: startling close-ups, in magnificent mid-flight, and congregating en masse with their feathered friends. Check out the delightful winning photos (click to see them up close) selected by our staff—the first place winner is above. We hope these images will endear you to the living beings we share the world with. Congratulations to our winners, who scored some Atlas Obscura gear! And thanks to everyone who shared wonderful images with us this summer. Be sure to check out the winners of our other two contests, for Roadside Attractions and Night Views, and definitely stay tuned for more chance to share your photos with us and score some Atlas Obscura prizes! Second Place Third Place Honorable Mentions  ( 14 min )

From ancient Funan to the Siamese kingdom of the current Chakri dynasty, Thailand has had its huge share of diverse monies—a wide variety of oddities in the field of ethnographic numismatics. At the Bangkok Coin Museum, an institution run by the Treasury Department, curious visitors can learn the fascinating history of Thai currencies. Despite its proximity to the National Museum and the Sanam Luang Park, it's a lesser-known and under-appreciated tourist attraction, making it a neat oasis from the tropical heat and sightseeing crowds outside. At first glance, the museum seems quite small with only a single exhibit room on the first floor. There are educational panels on the general history of money, from the invention of coinage in ancient Lydia to the development of modern Thai baht. …  ( 14 min )

Pune has grown over the centuries under the reign and control of various kingdoms, cultures and empires. Every culture has left its own unique mark on the way the city has taken shape and today one can find history around every corner, quaintly hidden, ready to present itself to curious enthusiasts. Particularly in the older parts of the city, every street, every square, every alley, and every corner has a story to tell.  There are artistic wooden beams next to imposing stone walls, clock towers next to historic stairs, arched doorways next to grand bastions, and old lamps next to rustic windows. Right opposite the magnificent Shanivar Wada, almost hidden from the world passing by, is an extremely old flight of stairs. Surrounded by residential buildings and old structures, these stairs …  ( 14 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit the small town of Ballyvadlea in County Tipperary, Ireland, where a horrendous murder occurred in March 1895. In front of friends and family, Michael Cleary murdered his wife Bridget after accusing her of being replaced by a fairy. Today the murder tells us far more about sexism than Irish fairy lore. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 13 min )

Sort these mistakes and you might find people start buying it Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

After this, you’ll likely put an end to debating this. Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

"Elusive Ernie: China's new chatbot has a censorship problem"    By Stephen McDonell, BBC, 1 day ago It seems that Ernie's favorite response is "Let's talk about something else", particularly when you ask it a "difficult" question. For example, Ernie seemed baffled by the question: "Why is Xi Jinping not attending the upcoming G20 meeting?" […]  ( 8 min )

We smashed a whole lotta foods—burgers, bacon, and sandwiches—to find the best grill presses.  ( 31 min )

These beef chuck recipes prove that you can create extraordinarily delicious meals—from comforting stews and soups to barbecue show-stoppers—without having to splurge on expensive cuts like brisket or short ribs  ( 14 min )

This Bavarian-style soft pretzel recipe is as straightforward as this kind of recipe gets, yielding six crisp, chewy tender pretzels.  ( 27 min )

Plus: St. Paul Public Schools warn families about potential data breach; Food and Drug Administration approves updated COVID-19 vaccine; Minnesota group files lawsuit to keep former President Donald Trump off the 2024 ballot; and more.  ( 6 min )

If confirmed, Toddrick Barnette, the first person of color elected to the position of chief judge of the state’s largest judicial system in 2020, brings experience as a judge, prosecutor and public defender to the role.  ( 10 min )

Refugees arrive to the United States following traumatic events that turned their worlds upside down. And when resettling, mental health is often one of the last things people are thinking about.  ( 29 min )

Myles says her approach has a basis in Dakota thought. “I don’t try to limit myself because I don't think that's the way my people lived ever,” she says. “I try not to place boundaries between areas of knowledge."  ( 17 min )

Quarter-after-quarter, starting the spring of 2020, Minnesota's economic and revenue forecasts were off — sometimes way off.  ( 17 min )

While we’re back to normal in so many ways, normal never worked for too many of our neighbors. Minnesota's food shelves saw 5.5 million visits last year, 2 million more than in 2021.  ( 9 min )

Plus: Stone Arch Bridge to close for next two summers; special election set for Dec. 5 to fill Rep. Richardson's seat; Lakeville's booming entertainment scene; and more.  ( 6 min )

1. Richmond Fed interview with Melissa Kearney, her new book is great. 2. My William Blair podcast on AI. 3. Thomas Easton Substack on India’s business world. 4. A cognitive theory of policing. 5. A flood of successes for school choice. 6. Model this solve for the equilibrium the polity that is California what else […] The post Tuesday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Evolutionist. “many schools will be teaching ... by TWBC In reply to MikeP. The worst governed States are those where ... by Dismalist In reply to Scott H.. The median California voter enjoys that ... by Dismalist In reply to asdf. I see negative comments about choice on ... by Dismalist In reply to asdf. California's problem is the immigrants? ... by Scott H. Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Matt Yglesias writes: …(continue to be confused by the widespread claim that the elites won’t tell you about this idea) Matt is referring to the two-parent family and the notion that elites will (after some point) lead fairly culturally conservative lives, but preach a more outgoing, tolerant, liberal morality at the social level, a morality […] The post The shaming of one-parent families appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Stan Sitwell. One beggar at the Walmart bus stop ... by Kaleberg In reply to Sure. I have had a fair number of girls tell me ... by steve In reply to Tony. Traditionally everyone involved gets some ... by Kevin In reply to Lord Action. There's usually an underlying mental ... by Kaleberg In reply to Sure. The problem is that it is an expensive ... by Kaleberg Plus 10 more... Related Stories Misandry Did Katrina boost freedom, wreck state capacity, or both? Attitudes toward capitalism (Poland fact of the day)  ( 7 min )

China is set to become the world’s biggest car exporter this year, overtaking Japan. The watershed moment will mark the end of decades of dominance by European, American, Japanese and South Korean groups. Here is more from the FT.  Note that as recently as three years ago, China for car exports was not in the […] The post China fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Lord Action. Not whether it can be fixed but ... by sxb In reply to M. I'm actually Andy Kaufman, doing one of my ... by Bill In reply to Lord Action. It's also typical Tesla management ... by yo Yep, that would be thanks to Ukraine-Russia war and related ... by inacaféonspiridonovka In reply to Todd K. “My point was that Honda and Toyota are ... by Lord Action Plus 10 more... Related Stories Russia-Africa facts of the day Misandry A Diamond Pricing Puzzle  ( 6 min )

When economists analyze a well-conducted RCT or natural experiment and find a statistically significant effect, they conclude the null of no effect is unlikely to be true. But how frequently is this conclusion warranted? The answer depends on the proportion of tested nulls that are true and the power of the tests. I model the […] The post How Credible is the Credibility Revolution? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Will. So, you acknowledge the spoof, and think ... by Bill In reply to yo. Credit to the authors. by Ira Gilligan In reply to Bill. [sigh] … neutral observers here cannot ... by Will In reply to dan1111. The better journals are looking for ... by steve In reply to Bill. Fake Bill at 08:27:01 by Bill Plus 10 more... Related Stories The shaming of one-parent families The Ball the Bat and the Hopeless Did Katrina boost freedom, wreck state capacity, or both?  ( 6 min )

Keep in mind that Canadian immigration policy also is U.S. immigration policy.  Currently Canada is taking in about 400,000 people a year, with plans to raise that to 500,000. At the same time, the U.S. is doing little to boost high-skilled immigration.  But Canada is serving as a kind of farm system for the U.S.  […] The post U.S. immigration policy is slightly better than you think appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Picador. perhaps the mosaic story supports a ... by Hieronymous In reply to M. typical self-centered NIMBY. YIMBY proposes a ... by Hieronymous In reply to H. That food bank in Chicago (the Chicago Food ... by Wilbur In reply to Trust me. This is why the immigration debate is ... by ArthurM I recently listened to Tyler's 20th anniversary retrospective ... by Rusty Robot Plus 10 more...  ( 7 min )

Also a Sculptor lawsuit, Jamie Dimon on bank capital rules and a 2x levered Bitcoin ETF.  ( 2 min )

The R User Group-Philippines (RUG–PH) celebrated its 10th anniversary on the 16th of August. The group marked the occasion with its first physical event since the pandemic, and it highlighted... Continue reading: R User Group Philippines Turns 10

At the 2023 R/Basel event, we noticed a number of speakers and participants who were keen to share or gather knowledge about the use of R and Shiny technologies in many diverse processes of the pharmaceutical industry. From ShinyConf to event’s like useR!’s R/Basel, professionals in the ... Continue reading: How Open Source (R and Shiny) Is Transforming Processes in the Pharmaceutical Industry

Introduction Continue reading: Exploring the Third Dimension with R: A Guide to the persp() Function

Researchers have relied on free/easy access to APIs from social media platforms for a very long time. Continue reading: Preprocessing and analyzing web tracking data with webtrackR

Someone who would like to remain anonymous writes: I’m a student during the school year, but am working in industry this summer. I am currently attempting to overhaul my company’s model of retail demand. We advise suppliers to national retailers, … Continue reading →  ( 15 min )

Experts tell us that we are experiencing an “epidemic of loneliness.” This metaphor is all over the media[1]; the Surgeon General repeatedly warns us of it[2]; Hillary Clinton blames it for MAGA mania; meme entrepreneurs establish loneliness institutes and propose loneliness legislation; and some voices urge a U.K.-style Department of Loneliness. Why has there been […]  ( 21 min )

Today is a very big day for Retraction Watch and The Center For Scientific Integrity, our parent non-profit. Bear with me while I explain, starting with some history. When Adam Marcus and I launched Retraction Watch in 2010, we envisioned it as a journalism blog that would break stories no one else was covering, and … Continue reading The Retraction Watch Database becomes completely open – and RW becomes far more sustainable  ( 9 min )

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a network of call centers, each serving a certain small region or state. To keep in-state staff answering the phones, advocates say, promises of long-term funding are critical. But only eight states have enacted legislation to sustain 988 through phone fees.  ( 13 min )

One very popular approach to writing travels under the somewhat unattractive banner “shitty first drafts”. Jonathan Mayhew and I have tried to push back on it a little, but it has undeniable appeal for many students and scholars. The idea is simply not to worry about quality in the early stages of a writing project. … Continue reading Write Often and Well →  ( 6 min )

The system could improve image quality in video streaming or help autonomous vehicles identify road hazards in real-time.  ( 10 min )

THIS ARTICLE IS ADAPTED FROM THE SEPTEMBER 9, 2023 EDITION OF GASTRO OBSCURA’S FAVORITE THINGS NEWSLETTER. YOU CAN SIGN UP HERE. Recently, my friend Rachel found a pile of 1980s cookbooks on a curb and gave them to me as a housewarming present. The one that caught my eye was The JCPenney Microwave Cookbook, with its colorful cover showing a rack of lamb, roast beef, and a ham, all presumably cooked in a microwave. The whole book is a peek into the past, to a time when microwaves were the hot, new appliance. “Welcome to the most versatile system of food preparation ever devised by man,” boasts the inner cover. The cookbook sets out to prove that statement with recipes for dishes that people today would never, ever, cook in a microwave. Like many 20th-century cookbooks, there is a s…  ( 21 min )

The Picture House is a beloved movie theatre that carries popcorn, soda, and that good old-fashioned charm. As one of the few remaining single-screen theaters, It was rescued from the brink of demolition in 2001, and a non-profit dedicated to its upkeep, Pelham Picture House Preservation, was established. It has since been rebranded as The Pelham Picture House Regional Film Center and added to the National Registry of Historic Places in 2010. Celebrating its centennial in 2021 did not only celebrate its resiliency as a cultural hub but also the countless community events that it proudly hosted and displayed on the marquee, including (but by no means limited to) watching a local Olympians race live on the big screen, children's parties, and school events. So whether you're a film lover, a history buff, or just someone who is looking to eat some good old-fashioned popcorn, the Picture House is the perfect way to spend your afternoon.  ( 13 min )

Many cities have founding myths that explain some aspect of their history and sometimes their name. Kielce, a city in southern Poland, is no different, though their story certainly is quite unique. A statue on the town square depicts a large imposing boar, which is situated on top of a pedestal and surrounded by six brass plates that tell its story.   The story centers around Prince  Mieszko Bolesławowic, son of the 11th-century Polish King Bolesław II. The prince was sent out into the woods with a large army escort on a hunting trip after the king got into an argument with the Bishop of Krakow and feared for his son's life in retaliation.   In the woods, the prince and his men found and slayed many beasts, while living an otherwise unremarkable life. That is until one day, when Prince Mieszko saw a giant boar and decided to follow it on his own. This nearly ended in tragedy as he drove into a branch and was knocked out cold. While he was unconscious, the prince dreamt that someone had given him poison and that he was dying. However, just before the end Saint Wojciech appeared and healed the prince with cleansing water that appeared from a spot below his cane. The prince woke up to discover that he had been found and helped by his men. To his surprise, he also saw the river from his dreams, and also a pair of large boar tusks (Kły) on the place where he was knocked out.  He decided to build a city here on this holy spot, and called it after the boar's tusks: Kielce.  ( 13 min )

There are more than 1,000 memorials across the United States that serve as reminders of the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, and to honor the victims. Though it is many miles from the sites of the attacks on that tragic day, the 9/11 Memorial Trail in Athens, Georgia, is filled with meaning.  After a trip to New York City just one month after the attacks, artist Bob Hart—who had been moved by the hushed reverence of the other passengers on his flight, then the flowers and missing posters on the chain link fences—decided that he had to do something to help others remember those whose lives had been lost. The final result of his work is a 300-yard wooded trail on his property that has been visited by people from across the country for more than 20 years. Upon entering the trail, …  ( 14 min )

A stunning example of Queen Anne architecture in the Pacific Northwest. The Flavel House was built in 1884-85 for Captain George Flavel and his family. Complete with a carriage house, the now-museum was once used as offices during World War II by the Public Health Department, the Red Cross, and the local Welfare Commission. It was also used as a film location for The Goonies, along with other sites in the surrounding area, including the Goonie Trails and Haystack Rock.  ( 13 min )

The wellhead was originally constructed in 1450, rebuilt in 1847, and then restored once again in 1959. At some point in its history, it was resited to the northeast for street clearances.  The wellhead was commissioned by Thomas Billingham as a gift to the city at a time when safe, fresh water was not always easy to locate. The wellhead protected the water source and preserved the quality of the water in the well.  These wellheads were the first line of defense for preventing contaminants from entering the water supply. The wellhead at Fram is a low, rectangular structure with buttresses on each corner and a sloped roof. There is a now bricked doorway on the south-facing side and a small slot along the east side. The wellhead is a Grade II listed building and was first listed in 1952.  ( 13 min )

Like the Peephole Cinema in San Francisco, this small-scale destination for bibliophiles is similarly out of view, tucked up against a building in a tree-lined urban alleyway/POPOS (no, not police officers, but a Privately-Owned Public Open Space) in Downtown San Francisco. The store inhabits three showcase windows just two feet deep and 14 feet wide. Once a display space for the I. Magnin & Co. department store, it's now a thoughtfully curated selection of books, zines, art, and other paper ephemera, as well as a few book carts on wheels. The space found its second life as a bookstore in 2012, when G.F. “Rick” Wilkinson transformed the former display windows into a small bookstore. It became a fixture in the neighborhood. When Wilkinson decided to close the store in order to focus on his online bookselling business, a new group took over running the beloved store, which was renamed 34 Trinity Arts and News. Run by a dedicated cadre of volunteers, this diminutive oasis of reading materials (with a focus on San Francisco-based writers, authors, and subjects) provides a much-needed respite from the glass and steel monoliths that loom over it. 34 Trinity occasionally collaborates with other local businesses to host various events including art exhibitions and poetry readings.  ( 14 min )

In 1993, Scottish historian William Dalrymple published his now-famous travelogue about his six-year stay in Delhi. It was titled City of Djinns, and its very first sentence went: “It was in the citadel of Feroz Shah Kotla that I met my first Sufi.” According to the Sufi, the djinns were created by Allah when the world was new, fashioned from fire while mankind was made from clay. In English, they are called genies—the very beings that pop up every now and then in Arabian Nights stories. Locals believe that these ancient spirits haunt the Muslim quarters of Old Delhi, granting wishes of those who pray. The ruins of Feroz Shah Kotla are one of the best-known haunts of Delhi’s djinns. Built circa 1354, it was meant to be the central part of Firozabad, the capital of the Delhi Sultanate d…  ( 14 min )

In the county seat of Otter Tail County, the town of Fergus Falls, Minnesota, offers a real otter tale: the world’s largest. For more than 50 years, Otto has stood sentry over Grotto Lake, as the beloved mascot of the city. Like most great works of art, Otto began his life as a high school shop project, the brainchild of shop teacher Tom Willett, who wanted to create something special for Fergus Falls’s centennial in 1972. Unfortunately, the first version of Otto was…an otter disaster. Steve Jaenisch, a metal artist who went on to create a number of sculptures around town, finished the job and made sure Otto would last for generations to come. Today, the 40-foot-long otter sculpture stands proudly in Adams Park, overlooking the lake. The quaint city park also includes a ballfield, a playground, and picnic tables, including one that is often placed tantalizingly close to Otto.  ( 13 min )

This water storage facility, which also controls Bangor’s water pressure, has been in use since 1897. It also inspired a piece of Stephen King's 1986 novel It: the standpipe in Derry, where Stan first encounters Pennywise. Bangor’s most famous resident Stephen King once lived a few blocks away from the standpipe. According to him, he also wrote a significant portion of his book It in the shadow of the standpipe. In the early 1980s, he would walk down the street, sit on a park bench in the small park beneath the standpipe, and write the book. It is said that the tragic stairwell death of the boy in 1940 influenced the creation of the book’s character Pennywise the Clown. There are no recorded drowning accidents in the standpipe, but for anyone who has read the book or seen either the film or the miniseries, this is an incredibly eerie place to be—even though you’re just staring at an old water tower. Which tells you everything you need to know about the power of King’s writing. In the 2017 remake of the movie It, one of the characters bikes by a standpipe in the fictional town of Derry, which is King’s thinly disguised version of Bangor. The standpipe was CGI-generated and the movie was filmed in Toronto. There are also references to the standpipe in his other books Dreamcatcher and 11/22/63.  ( 13 min )

The Last Chance Module Array was an art project created by M12 Studios in 2015. This is how M12 Studio describes it: "Alone in the landscape, it appears newly built or, just as easily, to have always been there, disintegrating over decades." The installation is designed to align with the horizon, and lines up perfectly with the rising and setting sun during the summer and winter solstices. M12 studios states that the "design of the structures is expressive of farm and prairie architecture like barns and other farm structures.” Even when it isn’t the solstice it is a beautiful sculpture in the middle of nowhere. There is no sign or even a path to get to the sculpture, but you can see it on the east side of the street. You’ll need to walk up a small hill and then through grasslands to get to the sculpture. There is very little else around in Last Chance, Colorado, so there’s a part of this whole adventure that feels like one has come upon this hidden art creation that no one else knows about.  ( 13 min )

This piece was originally published in Yale Environment 360 and appears here as part of our Climate Desk collaboration. Mike Lohrengel looks up in awe at trees he has known for 30 years. “This is one of the most beautiful places I know. This forest has it all: the most species, the most diversity. Many trees I know individually. Look at this one behind us. It’s got a split way up there. I’ll never forget that tree till I die.” It is a love affair, for sure. But Lohrengel is no tree-hugger, out to preserve a special, pristine place. He is a timber harvest administrator, overseeing logging in one of the most remarkable working forests in the United States—nearly a quarter-million acres of trees that occupy almost the entire Menominee Indian Reservation in northern Wisconsin. “The for…  ( 26 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit Fenway Victory Gardens, one of the last remaining World War II "victory gardens" in the United States. The luscious garden quietly grows across from Boston’s historic Fenway Park and was used during the war to help supplement dwindling food supplies. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 16 min )

This Atlas Obscura–themed crossword comes from independent crossword constructor Brendan Emmett Quigley. He has been a professional puzzlemaker since 1996, and his pieces have appeared in dozens of publications. He's also a member of the Boston Typewriter Orchestra. You can solve the puzzle below, or download it in .pdf or .puz. Note that the links in the clues will take you to Atlas Obscura pages that contain the answer. Happy solving!  ( 12 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Team Ratings for Round 1 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Saracens 6.82 6.82 0.00 Sale Sharks 6.46 6.46 -0.00 Leicester Tigers 6.13 6.13 […] Rugby Premiership Predictions for Round 1 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 3 min )

Team Ratings for Finals Week 2 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Panthers 13.87 12.99 0.90 Storm 7.94 11.21 -3.30 Broncos 7.40 -5.92 13.30 […] NRL Predictions for Finals Week 2 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

Team Ratings for Week 2 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Ireland 17.04 15.46 1.60 South Africa 16.79 16.35 0.40 New Zealand […] RWC 2023 Predictions for Week 2 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 5 min )

Team Ratings for Wednesday Game for Round 6 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Wellington 11.55 8.72 2.80 Canterbury 9.67 9.44 0.20 […] Bunnings NPC Predictions for Wednesday Game for Round 6 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

It’s so obvious I don’t understand why 99% of writers miss it Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »

Get a piece of the online sales pie by doing what you do best Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »

5 ways to wield your words for good Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »

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Why you should never read the title and then scroll down to survey the discussion Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »

From fudgy, glossy-topped classics to brownies kicked up with chile and baked on a grill, here are 10 great recipes to turn to when a chocolate craving hits.  ( 13 min )

We rounded up our best small coffee makers and espresso machines, based on our tests.  ( 26 min )

We put popular KitchenAid attachments through the paces, including their meat grinder and ice cream maker.  ( 19 min )

The R Consortium is pleased to announce that on August 28, 2023, the R Submissions Working Group successfully submitted an R-based test submission pilot 3 package through the FDA eCTD... Continue reading: First Publicly Available R-Based Submission Package Submitted to FDA (Pilot 3)

Introduction Continue reading: Plotting SVM Decision Boundaries with e1071 in R

The github branch of my Github repository Continue reading: Enneper surface with rotating checkerboard  ( 9 min )

Since 1970 more than 350 weather stations have experienced at least one six-hour period of a potentially deadly combination of heat and humidity. Scientists expect these episodes will increase as temperatures rise

A brain chemical may play a role in the development of our complex brain, as well as our inclination toward obesity and addiction

The new field of digital bioacoustics is machine learning to try decipher animal speak, including honeybee toots and quacks and woops.

Highly processed foods resemble drugs of misuse in a number of disturbing ways

Historical bad practices have left a legacy of pollution in the fragile ecosystem of Antarctica, but efforts are underway to chart a better future

Telecommunications grids are vulnerable to worsening climate disasters—which highlights the importance of one age-old survival system

1. Pluto: 1994 vs. 2019. 2. The current case for Novavax? 3. New 3.5 hour documentary about Paul Simon. 4. Learning German, most of all a directory of (largely mediocre?) podcasts? 5.  My 13-minute chat with Alexandra Hudson on her new civility book. 6. Ross Douthat profile (New Yorker). The post Monday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments #4. I've gotten back to trying to speak German after years of ... by Michael Tinkler In reply to yeah, right. How does that relate to the autism ... by JSK In reply to Sure. How about just starting with these two: ... by Ehhhhhhhhhhh In reply to Bukele. Incidentally, does anybody know any ... by Marshall Learner In reply to Lipstick won't help. Oh, I wouldn't count out ... by Dbrooks Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Another telltale sign of sad songs is the minor key. This rise in minor key songs has been dramatic. Around 85% of songs were in a major key back in the 1960s, but in more recent years this has fallen in half. My favorite guru of music data analytics, Chris Dalla Riva, has sent me this chart […] The post Why is the minor key rising in popularity? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Another aspect of victimhood culture? Raising one's status ... by BC In reply to Eqeuestrian. Acrobot reporting on the green font. ... by Equestrian In reply to Equestrian. Acrobot here, we are looking at the ... by Eqeuestrian In reply to Jonathan S. +emma from Phytosciences (who never ... by Equestrian In reply to Gridlock. Also it’s by Elton John at the peak ... by California Plus 10 more... Related Stories Did Katrina boost freedom, wreck state capacity, or both? Attitudes toward capitalism (Poland fact of the day) Northern Virginia (Singapore) fact of the day  ( 6 min )

You will no doubt be familiar with the bat and ball problem; A bat and a ball cost $1.10 in total. The bat costs $1.00 more than the ball. How much does the ball cost? ____ cents. In a paper in Cognition, Meyer and Fredrick test multiple versions of the bat and ball and related […] The post The Bat the Ball and the Hopeless appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Dinwar. You're making Steven's point for him. ... by James In reply to Isaac Shalev. Is this a reference to January 6? by Dan Lo Pan In reply to You can't get the benefit of new information if you ... by Don P. In reply to Mike in Va. But arithmetic is hard enough: ... by anonprof In reply to Hollywood is your source?. You are confusing an ... by anonprof Plus 10 more... Related Stories My Conversation with Vishy Anand A matching framework with neither evidence nor theory on its side The impacts of Covid-19 absences on workers  ( 7 min )

…the most significant destruction on the Korean Peninsula was wrought by the Japanese invasions of the late sixteenth century.  Nearly two million Koreans, a staggering 20 percent of the population, perished during the Imjin Wars, Toyotomi Hideyoshi’s campaigns of 1592-1598 to subjugate the Korean Peninsula.  Hideyoshi’s object was the conquest of Ming China (1368-1644) but […] The post Korea Japan (China) fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Sure. It makes a pleasant story, but I don't ... by M In reply to RafaelR. (1) But we know how agriculture spread. ... by Sure In reply to mkt42. “I still do not understand why this is ... by dearieme In reply to RafaelR. It's as if the industrial revolution ... by dearieme Another interesting fact is that a larger proportion of ... by RafaelR Plus 10 more... Related Stories What should I ask Rebecca F. Kuang? My Conversation with the excellent Jerusalem Demsas Did Katrina boost freedom, wreck state capacity, or both?  ( 6 min )

Mental health disorders account for a significant share of the overall global disease burden. The economic losses from such disorders are staggeringly large, particularly in low-income countries, where people are faced with several unexpected shocks. We test whether improved communication can mitigate such mental health disorders. Partnering with a major telecommunications company, we implement low-cost […] The post The Value of Communication for Mental Health appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Sure. Sure! “The only surviving social ... by KT2 In reply to sxb. Yup, and on a purely physical scale: ... by mkt42 In reply to Sure. Ghanaians are poorer and are more ... by sxb Tyler says: “I am happy to see economists tackling the ... by Edward Burke Research shows that exercise and weight lifting improves mental ... by DRP Plus 10 more...  ( 7 min )

Plus: 3M spent nearly $1 million on shopping, sightseeing trips for Chinese health care officials; Brooklyn Center police chief to retire; Mike Lindell’s suer wants him to appear in court following “disrespectful” conduct during depositions; and more.  ( 6 min )

"They haven’t let (my son) out since Sunday (Sept. 3) to take a shower, they’re just sliding him cold cereal to eat. I want to hear from my son.”  ( 14 min )

If done improperly or without adequate equipment, using solvents like butane to draw THC from marijuana buds can lead to massive explosions if a spark sets off the evaporated solvents. But there are safer methods to make THC concentrates.  ( 17 min )

Wellness in the Woods’ Hope on Purpose contract with the Department of Corrections covers four training sessions a year held at different corrections facilities around the state.  ( 20 min )

Following the war Quie and other local Norwegian Americans sought to establish a Christian secondary school and founded St. Olaf’s School in 1874.  ( 10 min )

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will vote Tuesday on whether to recommend the latest COVID-19 vaccine booster to all.  ( 17 min )

Sept. 11, 2001, created a change in how we saw the world and how we acted for the past two generations. We need to move past that outdated model.  ( 13 min )

Plus: Vikings lose season opener to Bucs; proposed deal over who pays for Southwest Light Rail project could change; Minneapolis public housing project is near completion; and more.  ( 6 min )

Also Bitcoin futures ETFs, covenant-heavy loans, private banking and Elon Musk.  ( 2 min )

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In the Part I of this post, we saw how logical equivalences of first-order logic (FOL) can be characterised by a combinatory game.  ( 12 min )

In the Part I of this post, we saw how logical equivalences of first-order logic (FOL) can be characterised by a combinatory game.  ( 12 min )

For those of you who subscribe to New Scientist, their magazine’s cover story this week is a feature entitled “THE AMAZING THEORY OF (ALMOST) EVERYTHING”. In the feature is an overview of the Standard Model (which describes all known fields and particles, excepting gravity, with amazing accuracy, but leaves a plethora of puzzles unaddressed) and ... Read more  ( 13 min )

Hey, Ravi. It seems like exercise 14.2.I overlaps a bit with exercise 14.2.B  ( 13 min )

There are many statistics used to characterize timing patterns in speech, at various scales, with applications in many areas. Among them: Intervals  between phonetic events, by category and/or position and/or context; Overall measures of speaking rate (words per minute, syllables per minute), relative to total time or total speaking time (leaving out silences); Mean and […]  ( 9 min )

One of them was hyped in the media as a clean-cut fresh face that would restore fan confidence in a tired, scandal-plagued entertainment cartel—and the other is a retired baseball player. (Reposted from last year because the topic remains important … Continue reading →  ( 10 min )

“Lightning” system connects photons to the electronic components of computers using a novel abstraction, creating the first photonic computing prototype to serve real-time machine-learning inference requests.  ( 9 min )

RisingThumb.xyz Cultrface no-JS.club ⇾ Daryl Sun's Journal ⇾ The Living Thing  ( 1 min )

During the first day of my first-year writing seminar “Superhero Comics,” I project the cover of Action Comics #1 on screen and ask students to observe it closely, note details that interest them, and interpret those details. After writing for a few minutes, they exchange notebooks (or typically laptops) and add to someone else’s comments. […]  ( 10 min )

As climate change and urban development fuels the destruction of natural habitats, many conservationists have emphasized the need to protect endangered animals left without shelter. But creating artificial shelters isn’t easy, and some have been found to be harmful. Can technology help improve designs?  ( 16 min )

I advise students and scholars to do their writing in the morning. If you can find between half an hour and three hours every weekday morning two write between one and six paragraphs, you’ve got a good basis to build a healthy writing habit. It occurred to me the other day that, by following this … Continue reading Intermittent Writing →  ( 6 min )

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Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

A well-placed reference can make a world of difference Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Including how to use “who/whom” and “farther/further” correctly in your writing Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Make a new clickbait-free commitment Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 7 min )

At the recent Quantum Thermodynamics conference in Vienna (coming next year to the University of Maryland!), during an expert panel Q&A session, one member of the audience asked “can quantum thermodynamics address foundational problems in quantum theory?” That stuck with … Continue reading →  ( 15 min )

You may remember this post of mine: • Renaissance polyphony: the Franco-Flemish school. This school of music flourished for two whole centuries, roughly from 1400 to 1600. Though I haven’t been posting about it lately, I continue to enjoy it. Antoine Busnois (1430–1492) is one of the most famous composers in the second generation of […]  ( 9 min )

Since invading Ukraine, Russia has sought to increase the region’s share of its total global trade above the current 3.7%, with specific attention to increasing African primary commodity exports to Russia. However, African exports to Russia still make up a tiny 0.4% of the region’s total exports. In addition, Russian foreign direct investments in Africa […] The post Russia-Africa facts of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Bill. 2/10. Worse than Putin's war against ... by Shtick Rater In reply to aaron. Those T-72's from storage aren't really ... by Alistair In reply to I like OSI. Oryx is a pretty good source for this ... by Kaleberg In reply to aaron. Russia learned its lesson about drones ... by Kaleberg In reply to Alistair. As for willingness….I note Russian ... by aaron Plus 10 more... Related Stories Misandry A Diamond Pricing Puzzle Labor Day  ( 7 min )

1. Beauty induces higher stock market participation and thus higher returns. 2. “Afuera!” 3. Sri Lankan food is becoming more popular. 4. Those old service sector jobs.  Circa 1933, with Einstein. 5. The new Katherine Rundell book (UK only) is receiving rave reviews (Times of London). 6. New Knausgaard novel is coming. 7. Markets in […] The post Sunday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Ne'er Do Well. 7. Can only say these hackers are ... by Old Primate How about a post on Google Schmidt's concerns over AI tool use? by Antony T. In reply to Rahul. Imagine fighting with Bluetooth's idiotic ... by Etalon d'Silomar All beneficial traits are positively correlated. by aretae In reply to Excursive. Warmer water holds less oxygen than ... by Kaleberg Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

We find that Hurricane Katrina had lasting impacts on Louisiana’s formal institutions. In the post-Katrina period, we find that actual Louisiana had persistently higher economic freedom scores for both GE [government employment] and PT [property tax] than the synthetic Louisiana that did not experience the hurricane. These findings imply that the hurricane led to a […] The post Did Katrina boost freedom, wreck state capacity, or both? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to joan. They're the states with the least … ... by gjk In reply to .. The state with the most government employees ... by joan From what I recall , from talking to people who lived through ... by Hazel Meade Next time I'm watching a post-apocalyptic movie, I'll be ... by Babak In reply to .. Oh, I don't dispute your assertion that ... by Rahul Plus 10 more... Related Stories Attitudes toward capitalism (Poland fact of the day) Northern Virginia (Singapore) fact of the day The Fast, the Slow, and the Congested  ( 6 min )

Imagine if the relevant “change variable,” in macro terms, was the ease and quality of matching. In some mini-eras, matching does not work very well.  The labor market is slow, real interest rates are low, and capital is very cheap.  It is thus relatively easy for super-talented people — who often become quite wealthy — […] The post A matching framework with neither evidence nor theory on its side appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to sxb. For a long time now, Moore's law is ... by Rusty Robot In reply to mkt42. The more random variation there is in any ... by JDR In reply to Anselma Calzada. I think Tyler is saying that it ... by mkt42 In reply to sxb. I meant PC software, not hardware. PC ... by Dino the Isaurian “Yet none of this is true! The ease and quality of matching ... by Anselma Calzada Plus 10 more... Related Stories The impacts of Covid-19 absences on workers A Diamond Pricing Puzzle Disputes over China and structural imbalances  ( 7 min )

Thæ're serious: Why There's A Campaign To Re-Introduce A Historic Letter Back Into The Alphabet It all stems from Old English By Kate Nicholson, HuffPost (9/6/23) FWIW: A new campaign hopes to make day-to-day life more gender-inclusive by reintroducing the ancient symbol Æ back into the alphabet. Five global organisations, Divergenres, Aunt Nell, Gender X, […]  ( 14 min )

Some hope that the world’s fertility fall might be reversed by governments subsidizing fertility. But on reflection, that seems unlikely to me. Let me explain why. Some think that in the old days folks had kids as a way to pay for their retirement. But it

Michael Stutzer writes: This study documents substantial variability in different researchers’ results when they use the same financial data set and are supposed to test the same hypotheses. More generally, I think the prospect for reproducibility in finance is worse … Continue reading →  ( 16 min )

You may remember this post of mine: • Renaissance polyphony: the Franco-Flemish school. This school of music flourished for two whole centuries, roughly from 1400 to 1600. Though I haven’t been posting about it lately, I continue to enjoy it. Antoine Busnois (1430–1492) is one of the most famous composers in the second generation of […]  ( 9 min )

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Sharifa Alghowinem, a research scientist at the Media Lab, explores personal robot technology that explains emotions in English and Arabic.  ( 8 min )

Sending key presses to another device using software that emulates a keyboard, but isn’t a physical keyboard, is a fascinating concept. We understand that in the Linux/Unix environment and with Python, this can be accomplished through low-level programming. But can the R programming language achieve the same feat? ... Continue reading: Cracking the Code: Unveiling the Hidden Language of USB HID Keyboards!

I have blogged about weighted sampling before. There I found that the stochastic acceptance method suggested by Lipowski and Lipowska (2012) (also at https://arxiv.org/abs/1109.3627) is very promising: Continue reading: Roulette-wheel selection for dqrng (part 2)

“the employment of ABC for differentially private data serendipitously eradicates the “approximate” nature of the resulting posterior  samples, which otherwise would be the case if the data were noise-free.” In parallel or conjunction with the 23w5601 workshop, I was reading some privacy literature and came across this Exact inference with approximate computation for differentially private […]  ( 7 min )

“the employment of ABC for differentially private data serendipitously eradicates the “approximate” nature of the resulting posterior  samples, which otherwise would be the case if the data were noise-free.” In parallel or conjunction with the 23w5601 workshop, I was reading some privacy literature and came across this Exact inference with approximate computation for differentially private […]  ( 7 min )

Recommendation systems paint a wonderful picture: The system automatically gets to know you and caters to your preferences. And that is indeed what happens except that the picture is warped. Warping happens for three reasons. The first is that humans want more than immediate gratification. However, the ... Read More »  ( 7 min )

Reviewing some of the mistakes and issues with Dune pt. 1 Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 7 min )

The hottest trends to watch—and which ones are fizzling out Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

The author commissioned a survey on the image of capitalism in 34 countries. In only six of these countries – led by Poland and the United States – do pro-capitalist attitudes dominate. Although approval of capitalism increases when the word ‘capitalism’ is omitted (and instead only described), even then a positive attitude dominates in only […] The post Attitudes toward capitalism (Poland fact of the day) appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to rsm. Since it is based upon free exchange. Not ... by Reason In reply to Dino the Isaurian. Trying to get someone to fully ... by MikeP In reply to Dino the Isaurian. So what else are you going to ... by Anonymous In reply to Tom T.. So governments can either choose to make ... by M In reply to rsm. How are you going to measure that? by Hmm Plus 10 more... Related Stories Northern Virginia (Singapore) fact of the day The Fast, the Slow, and the Congested The impacts of Covid-19 absences on workers  ( 7 min )

1. Interesting Toby Ord paper on the Lindy Effect. 2. Interview with Andras Schiff.  Does he count as a grump? 3. Why didn’t we get a malaria vaccine sooner?  Very good piece. 4. Graduate student GRE scores, by field. 5. Further detail on the recent climate change/research/publication bias/skewed results brouhaha.  Useful addenda, the real story […] The post Saturday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Not just royal road to getting published, also road ... by Moral Panic In reply to #2. For a musician to detest a work. If Bach, ... by skyzyks #2 Schiff is a grump to be sure but that is the least of it. He ... by skyzyks In reply to “What's the problem here?”. It's a good ... by EdR Back in the mid-70's when I was studying at the UC Berkeley ... by Flounders Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Ames is only the 9th largest city in Iowa, and yet: 1. The city (and university) has supported three Nobel Laureates in economics, namely Schultz, Hurwicz, and Stigler. 2. The plutonium for the first atomic bomb was synthesized there. 3. The first electronic digital computer was built there. 4. George Washington Carver worked and taught […] The post Ames, Iowa, underrated mecca of science appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments I had a suite mate from Iowa back in college. He lived in a ... by Kaleberg In reply to Edward Burke. It's an example metaphorical ... by Kaleberg In reply to Dinwar. I agree that one can't necessarily ... by Kaleberg In reply to mkt42. A friend of mine used to say he watched ... by Kaleberg In reply to My explanation for down voting. Ars Technica ... by Kaleberg Plus 10 more... Related Stories How Mexico built a state (that was then, this is now) Proudhon: To be Governed Claims about Italy, Tiebout edition  ( 6 min )

Mexico in the nineteenth century presents a dramatic example of this problem. Mexico suffered extreme political instability and strife in the nineteenth century. There were 800 revolts between 1821 and 1875. Between independence in 1821 and 1900, Mexico had 72 different chief executives, meaning that the average term was only a little more than one […] The post How Mexico built a state (that was then, this is now) appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to sxb. That type of “cultural enrichment “ ... by Gman In reply to truth777. It's a bit more nuanced and estimates ... by sxb In reply to sxb. Only 1 to 2% of crimes are solved? This is ... by truth777 In reply to Bill. Did anyone? Ever? Merit based immigration ... by Thomas Hutcheson One problem in Latin American history is that it is very clear ... by HillCitizen Plus 10 more... Related Stories Proudhon: To be Governed Attitudes toward capitalism (Poland fact of the day) Claims about Italy, Tiebout edition  ( 7 min )

Part of the time we will be in Roppongi, which is another good/different complementary part of town to stay in?  And do you have particular hotel recommendations?  This will be my fourth Tokyo trip, if that gives you further context. The post Tokyo hotel bleg appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments I would suggest finding a good suburb in western tokyo. Most ... by Andrew Smith In reply to KRS. We will lived in Kagurazaka for five months ... by Dan In Tokyo we stayed at the Muji hotel, part of the Muji retail ... by Jerry I was Shinagawa Prince Hotel. Very nice rooms, old faucets tho, ... by Ari T Consdier reading _Emerging Tokyo: Designing the Spontaneous ... by Kevin Postlewaite Plus 10 more... Related Stories My Conversation with the excellent Jerusalem Demsas How to travel in India What should I ask Jacob Mikanowski?  ( 6 min )

They keep saying the western is slowly becoming a dead genre but somehow it keeps delivering great films almost every year, often more than once. It’s pretty much alive and going strong even if it’s not the Golden Age of it. That said, it’s true that the genre doesn’t necessarily appeal to everyone and some […]  ( 9 min )

Xinru Wang, Lauren Kennedy, and Qixuan Chen write: The two-phase sampling design is a cost-effective sampling strategy that has been widely used in public health research. The conventional approach in this design is to create subsample specific weights that adjust … Continue reading →  ( 10 min )

Gazoche’s blog 📌 Flavien Bonvin 📌 Made Mistakes OneBite.Dev Programming in the 21st Century 📌  ( 1 min )

Reintroducing large herbivores into fire-prone areas can help combat the global rise in megafires

"The Oldest (Known) Song of All Time" Includes spectrograms of different reconstructions. Although this YouTube was made three years ago, I am calling it to the attention of Language Log readers now that I know about it because it draws together many themes we have discussed in previous posts. Note by the author, hochelaga: The […]  ( 9 min )

In an off-topic comment (4/27/08), DDeden requested an English translation of the subtitles of a video about "Cotton: from fluff to dyed cloth the traditional Chinese way" (the video is embedded in this tweet).  It seemed a worthwhile endeavor, since the film itself was visually quite informative, though the subtitles looked rather sketchy. I asked […]  ( 15 min )

Join our workshop on Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) using R, which is a part of our workshops for Ukraine series!  Here’s some more info:  Title: Introduction to Qualitative Comparative Analysis (QCA) using R Date: Thursday, October 5th, 18:00 – 20:00 CEST (Rome, Berlin, Paris timezone) Speaker: Ingo Rohlfing, Ingo Rohlfing ... Continue reading: R-posts.com 2023-09-09 04:02:52  ( 10 min )

Currently the dqrng package supports only xoroshiro128+ and xoshiro256+ from https://prng.di.unimi.it/ (see also Blackman and Vigna 2021). These RNGs should only be used for creating floating point numbers, which was the case for dqrng originally. H... Continue reading: Choosing a new default RNG for dqrng

Would you consider a donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? The week at Retraction Watch featured: Our list of retracted or withdrawn COVID-19 papers is up to well over 350. There are now well over 42,000 retractions in The Retraction Watch Database — which powers retraction alerts in Edifix, EndNote, LibKey, Papers, and Zotero. The Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker now contains 200 … Continue reading Weekend reads: ChatGPT in papers; a Russia-based paper mill; getting scooped becomes an opportunity  ( 8 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

What I learned from my on-again, off-again love affair with writing Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 9 min )

In exclusive interviews, three members of the WGA Negotiating Committee break down how the streamers are exploiting comedy/variety writers Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

The San Jacinto Mountains, an upthrust fault block resulting from the San Andreas fault system, rise abruptly east of the Los Angeles basin. With a high point at San Jacinto Peak (10,804 feet/3,294 meters), the range is tall enough to intercept the moisture coming from the Pacific, such that the higher elevations support forests and even a winter snow cap. However, this also causes a rain-shadow desert on the eastern side of the range. The mountain precipitation feeds a number of perennial streams that drain to the east, of which one of the largest is Tahquitz (pronounced TAH-keets) Creek. The creek drops steeply down the eastern front of the range through a spectacular canyon, from which it formerly flowed out into the desert where the city of Palm Springs now sits. As with any desert creek, its water was of paramount importance for wildlife and the local human population. Near the base of the range, where its grade flattens out, the creek flows over a picturesque waterfall some 60 feet high that can be reached by a footpath. The path runs about 1.8 miles through a scenic desert canyon with an altitude gain of 350 feet. The level is moderate and should be within the capabilities of most hikers. Some rock art is also visible. The creek and falls both lie within the Agua Caliente Cahuilla Reservation and the tribe sells hiking permits. Tahquitz, in the local Native American lore, was a malevolent spirit that dwelled in the mountains.  ( 14 min )

You’ve got a list of geocoded data points, but due to error or omission, one of them has nothing set as its location. It may still show up on a map. If so, look for its pin to drop on a very specific place in the international waters off the Gulf of Guinea: Null Island. Think of the Gulf of Guinea, part of the South Atlantic Ocean, as Africa’s armpit. It’s the body of water just off the coast of where West Africa bends south to become Central Africa. The Gulf is right in the middle of your standard world map, and that’s no coincidence. It is the meeting point of the two baselines of geodetic measurement, the prime meridian and the equator. Or, expressed in longitude and latitude: 0°N, 0°E. You guessed it: this is Null Island—the perfect anchorage for non-geolocated data. But don’t go r…  ( 16 min )

At the McKinley Presidential Library and Museum is a rare tiara that belonged to former First Lady Ida McKinley. The piece is made up of two diamond-studded wings perched atop a gold halo. Relatives who inherited the diamond-studded tiara wound up selling it to a Las Vegas pawn shop, a sale that was featured on the History Channel show Pawn Stars. Museum staff had known about the tiara's existence—they had borrowed the piece from the family members a number of times over the years. But it wasn't until they saw it on TV that they knew that it was up for sale.  After the episode aired, curators from the McKinley Presidential Library convinced Rick Harrison, co-owner of Gold & Silver Pawn, to sell it to them. He agreed on the condition that the museum was able to meet the amount he paid for it: $43,000. The museum put together a fundraising campaign, and hundreds of donations from across the country enabled the museum to buy the tiara back. It is now on permanent display at the museum, in its original velvet jewelry box and inside a protective glass case  ( 13 min )

Humans have cultivated rice for nearly 10,000 years—thousands of years before what many archeologists consider the rise of civilizations. Rice has formed the backbone of empires, the basis of political alliances, and to this day remains a primary food staple for some 3.5 billion people. In 2019, when Johnson opened FieldTrip, a fast-casual restaurant in Harlem, a sign hung on the wall declaring “Rice Is Culture.” In his latest cookbook, The Simple Art of Rice: Recipes from Around the World for the Heart of Your Table, the James Beard award–winning chef expands that thesis into a manifesto, one that examines the history of how rice dishes have changed across both voluntary and forced migrations around the world. It’s a deeply researched work and a highly personal one, a reflection of his …  ( 21 min )

A replica of Christopher McCandless' "Magic Bus" used in the film Into The Wild is now located in the yard of the 49th State Brewing Company in the small town of Healy, Alaska, just 10 miles from the entrance of Denali National Park. Christopher McCandless was an adventurer who went by the pseudonym "Alexander Supertramp." McCandless traveled across North America in the early 1990s. He ventured into the Alaskan bush in 1992 with minimal supplies, hoping to live off the land. Eventually, McCandless came across an abandoned bus near the Sushana River that he used as a makeshift shelter. It would also become his final resting place.  In 1996, Jon Krakauer published Into The Wild, a book following McCandless's journey that became an international bestseller. In 2007, the book was adapted into a movie directed by Sean Penn and starring Emile Hirsch as McCandless. A replica of the so-called "Magic Bus" was created for the movie, and after filming was done it found a permanent home at 49th State Brewing. As for the real bus. it remained at its remote site for many years, and visiting it became a pilgrimage for people who had been inspired by McCandless's story. But after at least 15 people had to be rescued and two people died attempting to cross the Teklanika River, the bus was airlifted out in June 2020. It was moved to the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where there are plans to put it on display at the Museum of the North.  ( 13 min )

If you’ve ever come home after a day of school or work to watch a ballgame, in part, you have the town of Independence, Kansas, to thank. It was here on April 28, 1930, that the first night game was played in the history of organized baseball. It’s important to define "organized baseball," because night baseball had been taking place off and on since the sport's creation. The earliest known game of artificially illuminated baseball took place on September 2, 1880, at Nantasket Beach, Massachusetts. Exhibition games would regularly be played with artificial lighting, however, professional sports resisted the innovation–particularly all major and minor leagues covered by the National Agreement governed by Major League Baseball.  There were fears that night ball would lead to injury. The …  ( 13 min )

In the early 20th century, the Soudan Iron Mine awarded employees of the mine lots on neighboring Stuntz Bay on Lake Vermilion to build boathouses. The employees were tasked with supplying their own materials and labor for the construction of their boathouses. Most were built with tamarack logs and reclaimed corrugated metal from the mine. Over 140 of these boathouses still stand today, albeit in various states of disrepair, with some renovated for continued use, and some crumbling into the bay. The boathouses now reside within the boundaries of Soudan Underground Mine State Park and have been listed as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. The owners of any boathouses not already surrendered to the park will be the last generation to own them, as current rules prohibit the transfer of ownership under any circumstances. Once the owner dies or surrenders ownership, the boathouse becomes the property of the park. This leaves the fate of the boathouses uncertain, as it's likely the park will not repair or restore them once they've taken ownership.  ( 13 min )

The Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute in Pune has one of the largest collections of rare books and manuscripts in South Asia. Within the grounds of the institute, next to the main building, stands an impressive guest house. It was built in 1933 with funds granted by Mir Osman Ali Khan, the seventh Nizam of Hyderabad. The guest house was built to accommodate the researchers and scholars who used to visit the institute for study and research. According to historians, along with the funds of Rs. 50,000/- for the construction of the guest house, the Nizam had also granted Rs. 1,000/- per year for 11 years for the publication of the Mahabharata by the institute.  On April 15, 1948, Dr. M. R. Jayakar was appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of the University of Poona (later the University of Pune and now Savitribai Phule Pune University). He was in search of a place to establish the office of the varsity and start working, since the current university building was then the seasonal retreat and monsoon residence of the Governor of Bombay (now Mumbai) and was called the Governor House. Dr. R. N. Dandekar, the then secretary of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute suggested Dr. Jayakar to set up the university office at the Nizam’s Guest House. Soon thereafter, the office of the university was started from here and was located here until June 1, 1949. In 1949, the University was allocated land of over 411 acres, which is its current campus. The erstwhile Governor's House has become the main office building of the university since then.  The Nizam’s Guest House is a beautiful stately building with elegantly designed balconies, windows, corridors, and archways. It has been declared a Grade 1 Heritage Structure and is evocative of a bygone era, reminding passersby of the city’s fascinating history.  ( 13 min )

The Strauss Airstrip, also known locally as the Strauss Airfield, 27 Mile Field, and the Humpty Doo Strip, was a landing strip found in the Northern Territory of Australia. It was constructed over a period between March and April of 1942 and was a key part of Australia's air defense during World War II. This is one of the most intact military installations in all of Northern Australia and was added to the Northern Territory Heritage Register due to its cultural and historic significance. The airfield was named after United States Captain Allison W. Strauss, a P-40 Kittyhawk pilot who lost their life after crashing into Darwin Harbour during a Japanese air raid on April 27, 1942. The site was decommissioned at the end of 1945, and in recent years, information signs have been installed along with the placement of model aircraft.  ( 13 min )

This tiny store located in the Arc de Triomf area has been a temple for emo teens, goths, and kawaii lovers since 2010. But what catches the interest of visitors is to find an incredibly colorful spot in the middle of the street, with its quirky, busy tiny space decorated with a big collection of subculture relics on their walls. The museum-like decor shows a wide variety of everything alternative youth dreams of: from "kawaii" pop culture items, Japanese toys from the 60s, vintage anime rare novelties, to the dreamed room of an emo teen. This collection is not for sale in the store (it is actually a clothing and secondhand store), so their employees ended up adding signs to avoid the many daily inquiries about purchasing. The collection has been composed by the owners and employees throughout their lives. Every item has a little history with their respective owner, and are exposed to share the deep love for underground culture with every person that steps into the little store.  ( 13 min )

In the 1950s, the town of Silverton, Colorado was in a troubled situation. The largest mine in the county had closed and the railroad that brought tourists from Durango was struggling. The idea for a large Christ statue in Silverton was first conceived at a Catholic men’s club in 1958. It was the hope that such a statue might revitalize the spirit of the town, and perhaps even the economy.  The slopes of Anvil Mountain were chosen as the site for the shrine since it overlooked the entire city. The statue itself was fashioned from 12 tons of Italian Carrara marble, the same source as Michelangelo’s "David". The alcove around the statue was made from stone local to the area. The catholic church provided financial support. The townspeople of Silverton also donated their money, supplies, and labor to the project. In 1959, the statue was complete, standing an impressive 16 feet on its pedestal. Shortly after the construction of the shrine, the Sunnyside Mine was reopened providing new employment to the citizens of Silverton. It is unknown if the new shrine played any part in the decision to reopen the mines. However, when the mines flooded in 1978, many credited the shrine for protecting the miners. While all the mines in Silverton are now closed for good, the Christ of the Mines still endures as a monument to Silverton’s history and the resilience of its people.  ( 13 min )

"Mir wëlle bleiwe wat mir sinnm," Luxembourgish for "We want to stay what we are," is the national motto of Luxembourg. As a very small country in the center of Western Europe, Luxembourg has braved a tumultuous history of fighting and bartering for its independence from multiple invading and occupying forces. This motto speaks to the ambition of the Luxembourgish people to retain their independence, identity, and sovereignty. The motto is pulled from Luxembourgish patriotic song, written in 1859 by De Feierwon. In Luxembourgish, the lyrics of the chorus read: "Kommt hier aus Frankräich, Belgie, Preisen, / Mir wellen iech ons Hémecht weisen, / Frot dir no alle Säiten hin, / Mir welle bleiwe wat mir sin." In English, this translates as: "Come here from France, Belgium, Prussia, / we want to show you our fatherland / ask in all directions, / We want to stay what we are." Although this motto is posted in many places across Luxembourg, this version, which is painted on an ancient tower above Rue de la Loge is probably the most famous.  ( 13 min )

Ashland Bridge, also known as Barley Mill Road Covered Bridge, was built in 1860 and was originally one of 13 bridges that spanned Red Clay Creek. It's the smallest of the three remaining covered bridges in Delaware, all of which are located in New Castle County. While the original Smith's and Wooddale Bridges were both built before Ashland Bridge, the former two have been rebuilt, making Ashland Bridge the oldest, original bridge in Wilmington. On at least three occasions, this diminutive Delaware bridge has been closed down due to damage from oversized trucks. In 2021, the bridge was damaged by debris that slammed into it during Hurricane Ida. This resulted in a six-week closure in 2023, but as of August, the bridge was re-opened to traffic.  ( 12 min )

It’s September, so Atlas Obscura is going back to the classroom—sort of. We took a deep dive into our archives to find some of the most surprising things people (and, uh, parrots) have learned in school, from ho-ho-ho-ing to pick-pocketing. Plus: Why does every kid in America learn to play the recorder? Japan’s Only Mascot School Teaches the Art of Cuddly Cuteness by Kirsty Bouwers To the right is a gray, frizzy cat. Behind, a chipmunk wearing a scarf and a lederhosen-esque suit with clovers stands beside a T-shirted gorilla. To the front, a panda and a fox are finishing off their dance routine. No, it's not some alternative version of Lewis Carroll’s Wonderland, but a class at Japan’s only mascot prep school. New York’s First Female Crime Boss Started Her Own Crime School by Eri…  ( 17 min )

Observatories are rarely found in the middle of a city due to the light pollution emitted by the nearby houses, this makes the Urania observatory a rare and surprisingly accessible gem of Zurich. The land on which it stands was once owned by the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) and had several observatories at this location throughout the centuries. However, it was bought by a businessman named Weill-Einstein at the turn of the 18th century. The only condition was that "a beautiful building appropriate to the location of the building site be built on the building site within five years of the transfer of ownership."  This demand was fulfilled through the construction of a public observatory. The observatory was completed in 1907 and was the first concrete building in the city, it was also fully separate from the surrounding building to minimize vibrations. Despite this technology, no science was ever done in the tower, instead, it has always been used to teach astronomy and explain how telescopes work.  Inside the building is a beautiful Zeiss refractor that was custom-built for this tower. The telescope has a length of 16 feet (five meters). It's described by Zeiss as a 'Urania Type.  ( 13 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. School is back in session. So for this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, Jonathan Carey and Michelle Cassidy from the Atlas Obscura Places Team bring you two campus stories—from Gallaudet University and Cornell University—about the unusual traditions that can make collegiate life so strange. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 13 min )

After weeks at 100 degrees F, the drought and heat wave in Texas are taking their toll

Are you working really hard to learn something? Remember this counterintuitive fact, and you might improve your learning curve.

Within days of each other, Hurricane Jova in the Pacific and Hurricane Lee in the Atlantic rapidly ballooned into Category 5 storms

A newly described fossil is as old as the “first bird,” Archaeopteryx, and represents a birdlike dinosaur that might have specialized in running or wading instead of flying

Generative AI has made giant strides toward machine intelligence. Can machine consciousness be far behind?

Humans are feeding the invisible world of ocean microbes a punishing diet of pollutants, boosting the impact of climate change and hastening the destruction of life as we know it

Self-driving cars are expanding their ranges in a handful of U.S. cities, but the reality doesn’t yet match the hype

Earth is bombarded by millions of bits of cosmic debris every day. Here’s how to distinguish between the different types

Innovators are providing inspiration that could energize the teaching profession and transform our nation’s public schools.  ( 13 min )

Plus: Gas prices in Minnesota predicted to rise; student and parent advocates defend new state law on student restraints; the Pretenders’ “soon-to-be-legendary” set at 7th St. Entry; and more.  ( 6 min )

Two numbers tell the story: 18, and 2002. The first represents the Twins’ MLB-record postseason losing streak, mostly to the Yankees. The second? That’s the last time the Twins won a playoff series.  ( 20 min )

Figuring out how to make the Como Park Pavilion into a more successful public space has long been a priority of St. Paul City Council President Amy Brendmoen.  ( 17 min )

Your comments helped our D.C. correspondent learn her beat and determine what issues Minnesotans care about.  ( 11 min )

After a careful review of story comments over the past year and an assessment of the resources it takes to manage comments, MinnPost editors have decided to stop publishing comments on all stories starting today.  ( 28 min )

Suicide rates among Minnesota’s AI/AN community are at a 20-year high.  ( 22 min )

As U.S. Sen. Tina Smith says, access to banking services for marginalized communities is both an economic driver and a civil rights issue. The bipartisan legislation she has introduced would drastically expand access to startup capital.  ( 9 min )

Plus: Double murder-suicide suspected in Breezy Point; Minneapolis approves agreement to sell Roof Depot site; DFL lawmakers go on record to oppose special session over SROs; and more.  ( 7 min )

A cross-departmental team is leading efforts to utilize machine learning for increased efficiency in heating and cooling MIT’s buildings.  ( 10 min )

The PhD student is honing algorithms for designing large structures with less material — helping to shrink the construction industry’s huge carbon footprint.  ( 10 min )

We tested the most popular shaved ice makers out there—and found two favorites (including a stand mixer attachment).  ( 21 min )

The R Validation Hub – a working group established within the R Consortium to support the adoption of R within a biopharmaceutical regulatory setting – held a two-part mini-series about... Continue reading: R Validation Hub’s {riskassessment} Application – Mini Series Part 2

The R Validation Hub – a working group established within the R Consortium to support the adoption of R within a biopharmaceutical regulatory setting – held a two-part mini-series about... Continue reading: R Validation Hub’s Risk Metric Application and Risk Score – Mini Series Part 1

Authors: Ivan Svetunkov, John E. Boylan Journal: International Journal of Production Economics Abstract: Inventory decisions relating to items that are demanded intermittently are particularly challenging. Decisions relating to termination of sales of product often rely on point estimates of the mean demand, whereas replenishment decisions depend on quantiles from interval ... Continue reading: iETS: State space model for intermittent demand forecasting  ( 23 min )

The book can be downloaded for free but you will need a Leanpub account, same if you buy it. Continue reading: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Linear Models is now complete

Tombstone Project Overview Continue reading: An Introduction to Web Scraping Using rvest  ( 53 min )

Introduction Continue reading: Creating Population Pyramid Plots in R with ggplot2  ( 12 min )

The visualization of a rgl mesh is rather shiny by Take for instance the Barth sextic: ## Barth sextic is the isosurface f=0 #### Continue reading: A dull and shadowed ‘rgl’ mesh  ( 9 min )

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I started work this week in my new position, as a permanent researcher at the Institute for Theoretical Physics of CEA Paris-Saclay. I’m still settling in, figuring out how to get access to the online system and food at the canteen and healthcare. Things are slowly getting into shape, with a lot of running around […]  ( 10 min )

From a logical point of view, what makes finite model theory interesting is that some prominent techniques in model theory fail for finite models.  ( 11 min )

1. Jon Elster on Marx and Freud. 2. Are right-wing boycotts working? 3. UFO information is not classified in Brazil. 4. Alex Ross on Franz Liszt (New Yorker). 5. New issue of Works in Progress, haven’t read it yet, looks great. 6. Rachel Kleinfeld on political polarization.  One implication is that if you are making […] The post Friday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments ever thing is free now we figured it out “X doesn't ... by yo are all straussians now In reply to (Not That) Bill O'Reilly. No one thought it was ... by Tom T. In reply to Steve. The way to add new female customers is to ... by New Coke If Marx had never lived we'd probably have 100+ million people ... by Socratic Psychiatrist In reply to Dinwar. “Normally enjoy your comments and find ... by Lord Action Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Netflix has a new documentary on Blue Zones, regions in the world such as Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; Nuoro Province, Sardinia, Italy; the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; Icaria, Greece; and Loma Linda, California, where people appear to live “extraordinarily long and vibrant lives.” What are the secrets of such blue zones and how can you live […] The post The Real Secret of Blue Zones appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Hazel Meade. Why is it assumed life expectancy is ... by joan In reply to not even close. Fake Bill seems to post better ... by Skynet In reply to Mark Brophy. Clearly you need to stop drinking ... by Yancey Ward In reply to not even close. Is this the Real Bills doctrine? by Bernard Guerrero Loma Linda is particularly amazing, given it's regional context ... by zztop Plus 10 more...  ( 8 min )

The data center cluster in Northern Virginia is three times the size of the next-largest data center area in the world, in Singapore. The industry saw a major boost during the pandemic, as more work and social life shifted online. Those boom times are expected to continue, with new artificial intelligence technology driving even more demand […] The post Northern Virginia (Singapore) fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to RAD. Where is utilitarianism built into the ... by rsm In reply to Barb. Putting solar panels on the roof would ... by Engineer In reply to Mike in Va. Fortunately AWS-east fails ... by Kevin In reply to Everything Is Not Interesting. I remember reading ... by Dinwar In reply to Mike in Va. Northern Virginia is about as safe ... by (Not That) Bill O'Reilly Plus 10 more... Related Stories The Fast, the Slow, and the Congested The impacts of Covid-19 absences on workers Law-Abiding Immigrants  ( 6 min )

That is a new NBER working paper by Protty A. Akbar, Victor Couture, Gilles Duranton, and Adam Storeygard.  Here is the abstract: We assemble a new global database on motor vehicle travel speed in over 1,200 large cities in 152 countries. We then estimate comparable city-level indices of travel speed and congestion. Most of the […] The post The Fast, the Slow, and the Congested appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to MikeP. By the way, I am not arguing for dense ... by MikeP In reply to Meets. And they ignored maintenance for the ... by Dinwar In reply to Dinwar. The Los Angeles Valley can easily sustain ... by Meets In reply to L. Everything you said scales with the linear ... by MikeP Are the wealthier just primed with “fast” words and the ... by magilson Plus 10 more... Related Stories The impacts of Covid-19 absences on workers Law-Abiding Immigrants Labor Day  ( 7 min )

From a logical point of view, what makes finite model theory interesting is that some prominent techniques in model theory fail for finite models.  ( 11 min )

Paul Alper writes, regarding my post criticizing an epidemiologist and a psychologist who were coming down from the ivory tower to lecture us on “concrete values like freedom and equality”: In your P.P.S. you write, Yes, I too am coming … Continue reading →  ( 17 min )

From Brian Miller: I believe it was your comment here on a 2019 use of a phrase in China politics or press “Thus my second surmise was that, by 'black hand', the CCP / PRC mean 'stealthy manipulator who remains totally out of view'.  But how does it get that meaning in Chinese?” I think […]  ( 8 min )

The publisher Frontiers has retracted nearly 40 papers across multiple journals linked to “the unethical practice of buying or selling authorship on research papers,” according to a press release posted to a company website Monday.  The release also states Frontiers is adopting new policies to prevent the sale of authorships on papers it publishes.  The … Continue reading Frontiers retracts nearly 40 papers linked to ‘authorship-for-sale’  ( 10 min )

Nulla dies sine linea. I want to try something this semester. I have changed my morning routine so that I’m usually in the office by 7:00 AM. (This is mainly a result of restlessness brought on by intermittent fasting. It’s not that the hunger is making me restless, on the contrary, but rather that, after … Continue reading Let’s Write Every Day →  ( 5 min )

In his essay Atomic Thoughts, Matt Gemmell writes about the atomicity of ideas. The principle of atomicity is a guiding principle for understanding a larger and complicated idea. Its power lies in the fact that it mimics how our mind works. The recommendation for application could be summarised as follows: Whenever you come across a train of thought that is difficult to grasp, break it down into smaller and thus easier to understand components. Unfortunately, this is only half the truth. Analysis is only a part of understanding, but not understanding itself Breaking down the idea is undoubtedly valuable because it gets to the root of the problem of understanding: it is not the length of the distance our mind has to travel that challenges us. Rather, it is the question of what the first ste…  ( 8 min )

The synthetic opioid fentanyl, responsible for tens of thousands of overdose deaths in the U.S., has now entered Nigeria’s illicit drug market. A physician who treats patients in the emergency room discusses whether the country’s underfunded health care system will be able to handle the potential impact.  ( 11 min )

Team Ratings for Week 1 A long time coming but here are my predictions. No doubt many will disagree with my initial ratings. I try as far as possible to simply rely on data and avoid subjective judgements, and these ratings follow that rule as far as I have been able. In this case I […] RWC 2023 Predictions for Week 1 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 5 min )

No content preview  ( 1 min )

We are pleased to announce the full line-up for this year’s Shiny in Production conference! Don’t miss out on this excellent set of talks and workshops - head over to the conference we... Continue reading: Shiny in Production: Full speaker lineup  ( 21 min )

Rhino 1.5 Release We are pleased to announce that Rhino 1.5 is now available on CRAN! This update brings a range of new features and enhancements that aim to make your R development workflow even more efficient. With Rhino’s new addins, you can seamlessly integrate essential tasks into your work and ... Continue reading: Rhino 1.5.0 Update on CRAN: Streamlining Your R Development Workflow with New Addins  ( 11 min )

Introduction Continue reading: Mastering Data Visualization in R: How to Plot a Subset of Data  ( 13 min )

I have been off from the blog lately due to a big load of personal projects. Just lately I got a few days off and found time to work on my personal website, to be ready soon. That made me get more into Nginx configuration, where I consider myself a ... Continue reading: Adding a website next to your Shiny server  ( 15 min )

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“[the UK rejoining Horizon Europe programme is] fantastic news not just for the UK but for scientists across the EU and for all the people of Europe”. Sir Adrian Smith, president of the Royal Society The EU and the UK Government have come to an agreement on the UK rejoining the Horizon Europe funding programme […]  ( 7 min )

Saturated images of mushrooms and wildflowers stand out against a bright-green book cover. The title is wordy, but enticing: The Forager's Harvest Bible: The Ultimate Guide to Wild Food and Edible Plants Foraging, Identification and Harvesting. In his headshot, the author, Hector Lawson, smiles sternly but gently. His biography tells us that he was “raised amidst nature, on the outskirts of a bustling city,” though it doesn’t say where. Nor does it list Lawson’s other publications or his professional or educational background; there are just a few bland paragraphs about his “desire to reconnect with nature.” Googling “Hector Lawson” with “foraging,” or doing a reverse image search of the headshot, turns up nothing except the book. This is because Hector Lawson, alleged foraging expert, l…  ( 23 min )

In the vast insect collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C., one small box of beetles stands out from countless others. Currently it sits on the desk of Floyd Shockley, the museum’s entomology collections manager. He’s spent his spare summer hours in 2023 meticulously working on the contents of this box—re-placing rhinestones and replica rubies. The box contains 28 maquech beetles: bedazzled bugs once meant to be worn as living jewelry. “I can’t say for sure, but I’d wager this is one of the best and most well-rounded collections in terms of different decorative styles of maquechs,” he says. Maquech, or makech, beetles are objects of legend, and also tourist trinkets and sources of concern for both border control and conservationists. Sold al…  ( 19 min )

There’s a low hiss, a spark, then a momentary brilliant blaze. The outline of red velvet seats, ornate moldings, and a sweeping balcony emerge from the shadows, all now illuminated by an apricot glow. “I think of it as waking up the building,” says Wendy Cook, Head of Cinema at the Hyde Park Picture House, as she stands in the empty auditorium, long lighter in hand. Cook has worked at this small neighborhood cinema in Leeds, England, since she began selling sweets here 20 years ago. She estimates she’s lit the cinema’s nine gas lamps thousands of times. “It’s just part of my daily routine,” she says, “like muscle memory.” Yet Cook’s everyday ritual is wholly extraordinary; this Edwardian picture house, which has been operating since shortly before World War I, is thought to be the only…  ( 23 min )

Nestled atop a hill in Port Townsend, Washington, Manresa Castle is not only known for its historic charm but also for the eerie tales that linger within its walls. With a reputation for being haunted, the castle has piqued the curiosity of those seeking a spine-tingling experience. Dating back to the late 1800s, the castle's storied past is said to be intertwined with lingering spirits. Whispers of ghostly apparitions, mysterious footsteps echoing through empty corridors, and inexplicable cold spots have contributed to the castle's haunted reputation. Legends suggest that some of the castle's former inhabitants still roam its halls, adding an element of intrigue for those intrigued by the supernatural. Guests who dare to stay at Manresa Castle may find themselves immersed in an atmosphere where history and hauntings intertwine. Some have reported unexplained encounters, such as flickering lights, doors creaking open on their own, and unaccountable whispers in the night. The castle's ambiance seems to invite both curiosity and trepidation, offering a unique opportunity for brave souls to explore the realms of the unknown. Whether you're a skeptic or a believer, the haunted rumors surrounding Manresa Castle add an extra layer of fascination to its already captivating allure. Those seeking an unforgettable experience, where the line between reality and the paranormal blurs, may find themselves drawn to this historic and enigmatic destination. An episode of Travel Channel’s Ghost Adventures filmed here in 2015.  ( 13 min )

Ask an American of a certain age what they think of when they hear the name “J.C. Penney,” and you’ll likely be met with a description of big box stores in dying shopping malls of various cities and suburbs. And yet, this retail giant actually got its start in the remote rural town of Kemmerer, Wyoming, where its “Mother Store” still exists today. James Cash Penney, Jr. was born outside Hamilton, Missouri, in 1875. After moving west in hopes that the weather would be good for his health, he ended up working for Thomas Callahan and Guy Johnson, who owned the Golden Rule dry goods store chain operating throughout Colorado and Wyoming. In 1902, Callahan and Johnson gave Penney seed money to open a store in Ogden, Utah. Believing that market to be too large, Penney suggested Kemmerer as an a…  ( 14 min )

Otaru was known for its herring fisheries during the last half of the 19th century. Its golden year was 1897, when it scored a record total of a near-million ton of herrings—accounting for six-tenths of that year's national catch. Like a gold rush, the abundance of fish attracted opportunity-seekers and drove them out to sea. Collectively referred to as yan-shū in the north, these fishermen were known for their rough nature and their sea shanty called Sōran Bushi, which continues to be remembered as one of Japan's most iconic folk songs. In Otaru, the yan-shū lodged in dormitories at massive mansions called Nishin-Goten. Built by the nouveau riche who had made their fortunes from huge catches of herrings, these wooden "herring palaces" typically stood on the hilltop by the seaside so that any shoal of herrings was not missed. Few herring palaces have survived over the years, but few of those standing today are herring palaces, technically speaking. A majority of them are either banya, smaller-scale lodges for the herring fishermen, or villas built by the fishery bosses for themselves. Standing on a hilltop along the Ishikari Bay coastline is the Otaru Herring Palace, the "real" Nishin-Goten completed in 1897. Initially built in Shakotan, it was moved to its current location in 1958 and is now managed by the Otaru Aquarium as a historic monument and museum. On display are mainly fishermen’s equipment and old photographs, as well as scenes from Otaru’s fishery past re-enacted by dolls and in dioramas. Still, the main exhibit is the building itself. The lodging area, the spacious hall, and the wooden beams, all hearken back to the heyday of Otaru's herring era. Visitors can also feel the past in fishermen's clothes that can be worn for free.  ( 14 min )

As travelers cross the Kansas-Oklahoma border while heading north on Highway 81, they may happen upon a seemingly unsettling sight near Caldwell, Kansas. In the distance, a caravan of riders is traveling alongside you, driving cattle. These silhouetted figures are known as the "Ghost Riders of the Chisholm Trail." The Abilene stockyards opened in 1866, providing a new, safer, and shorter route for Texas ranchers to deliver their goods to the north and east. They began to use an old hunting and trading route through indigenous territory, that had been scouted by Jesse Chisholm, a Cherokee merchant, and his friend Black Beaver, a Lenape guide and trader. The trail, which became known as the Chisholm Trail, runs through what is now Highway 81. As the railroad grew, the trail changed shape, eventually ending at Caldwell, before being overtaken by newer, better routes. In 1995, a group of volunteers worked together to memorialize this era in silhouetted steel. The trail is best viewed at dawn, as the sun breaks over the trail, or at dusk, as the trail figures seemingly come to life as they face the waning light.  ( 13 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we head to Myrtle Beach where mini golf is not so mini. It’s over the top! This episode was produced in partnership with Visit Myrtle Beach, and to find a list of all mini golf courses, go to VisitMyrtleBeach.com. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 15 min )

The Well of St. Chads dates back to the Middle Ages. It's at the beginning (or the end, depending on your point of view) of the 90-mile pilgrimage to Chester. Its waters were rumored to heal skin diseases and sores.  The well remained known and was written about frequently through the mid-19th century, but fell into obscurity in the following century. The current iteration was created in the 1950s, and the waters are still accessible on the burial ground of the Church of St. Chads.  ( 13 min )

Author of Killers of the Flower Moon discusses his method, his materials, and being an “opessimist” Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Vet before you edit Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 9 min )

A variety of flavor-packed stew recipes from France, America, Nigeria, and beyond to cozy up to come autumn.  ( 15 min )

This indoor herb garden won our review with its programmable grow light, digital display, and easy-to-clean tray.  ( 12 min )

Two cancer researchers who formerly worked at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City published 12 papers with fake data that amounts to research misconduct, according to findings from the U.S. Office of Research Integrity (ORI).  ORI found that Andrew Dannenberg “engaged in research misconduct by recklessly reporting falsified and/or fabricated data” in the papers, … Continue reading Weill Cornell cancer researchers committed research misconduct, feds say  ( 9 min )

U.S. census tracts with high exposure to climate impacts will get extra federal funds to build resilience

Lise Meitner, an Austrian-born Jewish physicist, never received the Nobel Prize she deserved for her pioneering work on nuclear fission

Nearly every person on the planet saw high temperatures that were made at least twice as likely by climate change this summer

“Anscombe’s quartet” and the “datasaurus dozen” demonstrate the importance of visualizing data

Discovered only last month, Comet Nishimura is drawing attention before close approaches to the sun and Earth in the coming weeks

Seemingly trivial differences in training data can skew the judgments of AI programs—and that’s not the only problem with automated decision-making

Often nicknamed “making biscuits,” kneading is a good sign that your cat is happy, experts say

In the Journal of Public Economics, by Gopi Shah Goda and Evan J. Soltas: We show that Covid-19 illnesses and related work absences persistently reduce labor supply. Using an event study, we estimate that workers with week-long Covid-19 absences are 7 percentage points less likely to be in the labor force one year later compared to […] The post The impacts of Covid-19 absences on workers appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Hazel Meade. That's an important question. I also ... by Pipsterate In reply to ThatsNotAll. Covid protocols are the biggest self ... by MikeP If people stopped testing for Covid they would stop being sick ... by ThatsNotAll In reply to EdR. The hatred of Trump is mad, frothing ... by Rich Berger In reply to L. “..may have killed an old person..” Got ... by Rich Berger Plus 10 more... Related Stories Labor Day The Dominican Republic is underrated Who Runs the AEA?  ( 6 min )

Using census data, we study false birth-date registrations in Italy, a phenomenon well known to demographers, in a setting that allows us to separate honesty from the benefits of cheating and deterrence. By comparing migrants leaving a locality with those who remain in it, we illustrate the tendency of Italians to sort themselves across geographic […] The post Claims about Italy, Tiebout edition appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to dearieme. The Vikings ruled Sicily for a time. by Np In reply to dearieme. And if you ask them about Britons, ... by Anon I'm guessing northern Italians wrote this paper? by Dan Define “honesty” by Turing Test In reply to dearieme. The Moors invaded Sicily and soldiers ... by EdR Plus 7 more... Related Stories Why do immigrants oppose immigration? Misandry Proudhon: To be Governed  ( 6 min )

I am a big fan of her latest book Yellowface, which I read straight through (and it’s much more double-edged and subversive than you might be expecting).  Here is a partial bio: Rebecca F. Kuang is the award-winning, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Poppy War trilogy and Babel: An Arcane History, as well as the […] The post What should I ask Rebecca F. Kuang? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Kevin Postlewaite. Oh her body count is more than ... by Ben Wyatt In reply to Doveish. Look, a disgusting Chinaman. Why don't ... by Ben Wyatt In reply to Rahul. Who needs great culture when you can get ... by Ben Wyatt In reply to Mark. Because professors place greater value upon ... by Ben Wyatt In reply to Sashoir. Why are you so obsessed with “young ... by Ben Wyatt Plus 10 more... Related Stories My Conversation with the excellent Jerusalem Demsas That was then, this is now, Budapest edition What should I ask Jacob Mikanowski?  ( 6 min )

The subtitle is The Incarceration Gap Between Immigrants and the U.S.-Born, 1850–2020, and the authors are Ran Abramitzky, Leah Boustan, Elisa Jácome, Santiago Pérez, and Juan David Torres.  Here is the to-the-point abstract: Combining full-count Census data with Census/ACS samples, the researchers provide the first nationally representative long-run series (1870–2020) of incarceration rates for immigrants […] The post Law-Abiding Immigrants appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to California. So Trump was correct? by EdR In reply to M. Dem Mayor Eric Adams just said that illegal ... by Bill In reply to Zach. Jaywalking and disorderly conduct are not ... by Antony T. In reply to M. Sure, maybe it'll have terrible consequences. ... by Zach In reply to Antony T. That explains why prisons would be ... by Zach Plus 10 more... Related Stories Why do immigrants oppose immigration? Labor Day Proudhon: To be Governed  ( 6 min )

This question does not receive enough discussion, but there is a new paper of note, by Aflatun Kaeser and Massimiliano Tani: …successful immigrants in the United States (i.e., those who are in the top quintile of the socioeconomic classification), who may benefit the most from being perceived as unrelated to unskilled undocumented immigrants, have negative […] The post Why do immigrants oppose immigration? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Dino the Isaurian. Fuck you for being so ignorant ... by prioritize their own well being Because they were first- no one should be like them. We're ... by Antony T. In reply to Zach. Maybe because the Constitution says so? ... by Antony T. A few things people haven't yet mentioned (and sticking with ... by gjk In reply to Otto. I’ll add that I’ve met plenty of ... by Otto Plus 10 more... Related Stories Proudhon: To be Governed Italy fact of the day Misandry  ( 7 min )

Plus: DFL Second Vice Chairwoman Shivanthi Sathanandan injured in carjacking; whistleblower questions safety culture at Burlington Northern Santa Fe; St. Paul Regional Water Services requests watering restrictions; and more.  ( 7 min )

“I think there's no point in a mission statement if it's just falsities and symbolic language. It says right here in the vision statement that ‘We hold ourselves accountable’ and we know that's not the truth.”  ( 12 min )

Seattle’s experience with a ban on public pot use could offer lessons to Minnesota cities now grappling with whether to limit pot use in public places, and a possible preview to how enforcing those bans could turn out here.  ( 26 min )

Plus: "The Cartographer" + Nathan Stocker of Hippo Campus; Selby Ave Jazz Fest, and Douglas Ewart and "Young, Gifted, and Black" at MCAD.  ( 13 min )

Getting enough books to the youngest nation in Africa involves a lot of cooperation between regional groups in Minnesota and Wisconsin and groups in South Sudan with a little help from the U.S. Department of Defense.  ( 14 min )

Plus: Minneapolis has to abandon 2040 plan; Skyway Taco John's owes $100,000 in unpaid rent according to lawsuit; Mankato business promotion backfires; and more.  ( 10 min )

Also crypto mark-to-market, trays of crushed limestone, WeWork leases, a new Sculptor bid, Citi Bridge and gardening leave.  ( 2 min )

Early in my career, I was incredibly fortunate to be awarded a fellowship, and this week I attended the meeting in honor of the 35th anniversary of the fellowship program.  Packard fellowships are amazing, with awardees spanning the sciences (including math) and engineering, providing resources for a sustained period (5 years) with enormous flexibility.  The meetings have been some of the most fun ones I've ever attended, with talks by incoming and outgoing fellows that are short (20 min) and specifically designed to be accessible by scientifically literate non-experts.  My highlights from the meeting ten years ago (the last one I attended) are .  Highlights from meetings back when I was a fellow are , , , .David and Lucille Packard Foundationhereherehereherehere Here are some cool things…  ( 11 min )

Concurrency is the process of running different processes in non-sequential order while not affecting the desired output.  ( 10 min )

I had conversations with Nora Eisner (Flatiron) and Abby Shaum (CUNY) today about how we report the significance of a signal we find in a time series. In particular a periodic signal. It's an old, unsolved problem, with a lot of literature. And various hacks that are popular in the exoplanet community (and binary-star community!). My position is very simple: Since all methods for determining significance are flawed, and since when you fit a signal you have to estimate also an uncertainty on that signal's parameters, the simplest and most basic test of significance is the significance with which you measure the of the proposed signal. That is, if the amplitude is well measured, the signal is real. Of course there are adversarial data sets I can make where this isn't true! But that's just a restatement of the point that this is an unsolved problem. For deep reasons!amplitude  ( 14 min )

Concurrency is the process of running different processes in non-sequential order while not affecting the desired output.  ( 10 min )

Art Owen writes: Here’s a figure you might like. I generated a bunch of data sets constructed to have true effect size 1 and power equal to 0.06. The first 100 confidence intervals that exclude 0 are shown. Their endpoints … Continue reading →  ( 11 min )

There seem to be a lot of people complaining about it these days, so maybe there's something to worry about here.  Francois Lang, who called this current wave of criticism to my attention asks whether academia is isolated from such horrors. FWIW, here's what it's like in business: "A look at the most annoying workplace […]  ( 13 min )

LazyVim (github) 📌 “💤 A modern plugin manager for Neovim” Milkdown (github)📌 “🍼 A plugin driven framework to build WYSIWYG Markdown editor.” Optical Toys 📌 “Optical illusions & brain bending toys” TiddlyPWA 📌 “TiddlyPWA turns TiddlyWiki5 into an offline-first Progressive Web App with encrypted local persistent storage and efficient synchronization with a server that can easily be hosted for free.” Nobody cares about your blog. 📌 “I just don’t care what you think, here’s my post and you can do nothing about it :)”  ( 2 min )

Ocean scientist Christopher Reddy, who has spent decades researching the impact of oil spills and working with the media in the aftermath of environmental crises, offers some guidance to help scientists better navigate their interactions with journalists to avoid misinformation.  ( 14 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Cape Norman is a barren, limestone headland located at the northernmost point of insular Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. First constructed in 1871, it’s a concrete tower that stands nearly 50 feet. The shores are wind-swept rocks with trails traversing the terrain. This is the furthest north travelers can step on the island.  ( 12 min )

Asakusa is one of Tokyo’s most popular tourist destinations, known for the iconic Sensō-ji Temple complex and a network of quaint shopping streets leading up to it. Historically, it was also the center of pre-war cultural modernization, home to many of Japan’s firsts, such as the bar, cinema, amusement park and more. Underneath this bustling district, only a staircase away from the throng of tourists, hides the oldest surviving subterranean shopping street in Japan: the Asakusa Underground Street. Established in 1955, the Underground Street is connected to the Asakusa metro station, which itself is part of the oldest subway in Asia. From the ground level, on the other hand, the entrances to the Underground Street are rather inconspicuous and hardly noticeable unless you know where to f…  ( 14 min )

Wadi-al-Salaam translates to the Valley of Peace and is located in the holy city of Najaf, Iraq. Inside the burial site are over 10,000 tombs and crypts, with each capable of interning 50 people. The cemetery covers over 1,000.  ( 12 min )

It’s no secret that Mississippi is currently America’s poorest state, but that doesn’t mean local residents are just sitting around waiting for their cities to crumble. As downtown Yazoo City struggled with rising vacancy rates and a difficult business environment, local business owners on Main Street banded together and began to fight back with a bold strategy: cans of brightly colored pastel paint. Most of the downtown buildings in Yazoo City date back to the same year: 1904. That was the year a fire ripped through Yazoo City, burning down most of the buildings and forcing it to rebuild. A local legend claims this was the work of “The Witch of Yazoo,” who cursed the town after drowning in quicksand. Others may claim poor fire codes. These historic buildings fell into a general state of disrepair until the early 2000s, when members of the Yazoo County CVB convinced remaining business owners to paint downtown in various vibrant colors designed to give the town a Caribbean look, or maybe that of a gaudier version of Charleston’s Rainbow Row. The block is anchored by the historic Main Street Hotel, and its event space, “The No Smoking Smoke House.” From November through early January, Christmas lights are hung on the buildings, lending the town an even more vibrant and colorful pageantry. Main Street still has its share of vacant storefronts, but the town has seen a revival both from the renewed vigor of town, and from tourists attracted by its photogenic exterior.  ( 13 min )

In the 1960s, Italy was crossed by an economic boom. The paper businessman Luigi Burgo wanted a new factory to host a new, huge, paper machine. The factory needed to be able to expand as business increased. This was a great problem, he needed a 250-meter-long room with a 160-meter-long wall without a pillar (to allow the possible expansion). Burgo called Pier Luigi Nervi to solve the problem. Nervi was an Italian architect who specialized in the Brutalist style. At that time he already built many stadiums, bridges, spot halls and the UNESCO headquarters in Italy. Nervi was in love with the architectural potential of enforced concrete and was already known as the "poet" or the "tailor" of enforced concrete. Nervi decided to approach the challenge in a completely different way, building a bridge-like structure instead of a normal factory building. He built two sets of piers to hold up metal chains that allow the ceiling to "float" over the structure without pillars, but with walls made only of metal and glass. Burgo's new paper mill became an iconic structure. It was in use until 2013 when the all company shut down due to low newspaper sales. The factory was used again starting in 2015 after it was taken over by another company.  ( 13 min )

Tucked away behind some trees on Butten island in the center of Thetford sits an imposing statue of Maharaja Duleep Singh, the last Sikh maharaja and ruler of the kingdom of the Punjab. Maharaja Duleep Singh was born in Lahore, in modern-day Pakistan, on September 6, 1838. His father Ranjit Singh was the first Sikh Maharaja of the Punjab and Sikh Empire, in modern-day eastern Pakistan and northwestern India. After his father’s death, a series of successors were killed. Finally, Duleep Singh was declared Maharaja at just five years old. The British, through their agents in the East India Company, were quick to exploit the unstable situation in the Punjab and after two Anglo-Sikh wars, the Company took control of the region. The Maharaja, just 10 years old at the time, was forced to sign…  ( 13 min )

The Buddhist temple of Ryūkōin was once in possession of a peculiar statue called Kateki. Also honorifically referred to as Kateki-Sonja or Kateki-Sama, it was believed to represent an ancient Chinese polymath, the inventor of sailing vessels who had lived during the reign of the Yellow Emperor. The wooden statue became a boogeyman at some point, used by mothers to scare their children into good behavior. According to local legend, Kateki was actually the Adzuki-Baba, an old hag characterized by an eerie bean-grinding noise. It was said that Kateki would transform into a badger at night and carry off naughty children into the dark, presumably to feast on them. Children were unimpressed by the stories, however; it is said that they would come barging into the temple and use the statue as a mere plaything. It was not until 1924 that the true identity of the Kateki statue was finally revealed. It was photographed and introduced to the world at the Vatican expo, garnering attention from historians, who recognized its Erasmian attributes. It was, in fact, a statue of the Dutch theologian and philosopher Desiderius Erasmus—but its historic value was simply underestimated. As it turned out, the Erasmus statue had once served as the stern figurehead of the De Liefde, originally named the Erasmus, an East Indiaman that set sail from Rotterdam in 1598. Winding up ashore in Bungo Province (today Oita Prefecture), the ship brought some of the first Europeans to reach Japan, including Jan Joosten and William Adams. She was wrecked and lost in time, leaving only the Erasmus statue to survive and somehow end up at Ryūkōin Temple. When news broke, the Netherlands offered to purchase the statue, but the Japanese government declined and designated it as a National Treasure. While the temple retains ownership over it, it has been loaned to the Tokyo National Museum, where it goes on display from time to time. A replica of it is permanently exhibited at the Sano City Museum, as well as at the Maritime Museum in Rotterdam.  ( 14 min )

When settlers first reached the Wyoming Territory, they would often use natural features as lines of demarcation. In what would one day become Campbell County, the first settlers used a rockpile to stake their claim on the land. This settlement became known as Rocky Pile, but when the Burlington & Missouri Railroad arrived in 1891, the town was renamed Gillette after one of their surveyors. The rockpile continued to be a sedimentary symbol of the town’s fortunes, visible from Highway 16 as Gillette grew and became a mining mecca. Residents were torn between leveling the ground for its continued development and preserving it as part of the town’s legacy. Finally, in 1970, Ralph A. Kintz bought the land and donated it to Campbell County. Four years later, the Campbell County Rockpile Museum opened. In addition to preserving the rockpile, the museum interprets the history of the Powder River Basin. It contains exhibits on paleontology and geology, as well as firearms, saddles, and spurs from the town’s ranching and cowboy days. Particular interest is paid to Gillette’s heritage of coal mining. At its peak, the Powder River basin provided more than 35 percent of the energy for the entire nation.  ( 13 min )

Constructed in 1850, this 72-foot-long, Ithiel Town wooden lattice truss bridge is one of the last two that remain among the 13 that once crisscrossed Red Clay Creek in Delaware. The Wilmington and Western Railroad once included a station near the bridge and the area became a very popular picnic spot for train passengers. The railroad still runs alongside Red Clay Creek and carries riders past Wooddale Bridge to this day. Wooddale grew to become a village in the 1890s, but it survived for less than 20 years with people moving away after the last factory, a paper mill, burned down in 1918. In 2003, the original Wooddale Bridge was destroyed by flooding related to Tropical Storm Henri. Between 2007-2008, the Delaware Department of Transportation undertook a multimillion-dollar effort to restore the bridge. This included raising the roadway five feet and using highly durable Bongossi wood to better fortify the span. The bridge was re-opened on December 15, 2008, and has been standing strong ever since.  ( 13 min )

In 1953, a shoe salesman named Albert J. King, still mourning the loss of his nephew, John Cooper, during World War II, had a proposal for the city of Emporia, Kansas. Why not adapt Armistice Day, a holiday established to honor World War I veterans, into a holiday for all veterans? Through that idea, Veterans Day came to Emporia, and soon after to the entire United States as well. Emporia first celebrated Veterans Day on November 11, 1953. The next year, U.S. Representative Ed Rees, also from Emporia, brought a bill to Congress changing Armistice Day to Veterans Day. U.S. President and fellow Kansan Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the bill into law on May 26, 1954, and the first national Veterans Day was celebrated later that year. As with much history, this narrative is somewhat complicated by reality. In particular, Birmingham, Alabama, also has a strong claim on Veterans Day, due to the efforts of World War II veteran Raymond Weeks to establish a Veterans Day in 1947. To share credit, Birmingham was named the “first city of Veterans Day” by the Senate, while Emporia was proclaimed the “Founding City of Veterans Day” by the House. Veterans Day, much like success, has many fathers. On May 26, 1991,  to cement Emporia’s legacy as the home of Veterans Day, a park was opened to honor U.S. veterans of all wars. Displays at the memorial include a World War II M-4A6 Sherman army tank, and a Huey helicopter from the Vietnam War. Tablets of Honor recognize individual veterans through donated plaques. Each year in November, the town observes All Veterans Tribute Week in recognition of all veterans and Emporia's history.  ( 13 min )

Planning your next 2024 adventure? Atlas Obscura has you covered with our new 2024 trips lineup, from visiting the last Incan rope bridges in Peru to seeing the soaring spires of Patagonia's Paine National Park. To bring you even more wondrous adventures than ever before, Atlas Obscura is also thrilled to announce a new partnership with the award-winning travel company, Intrepid Travel. For years, Atlas Obscura has been dreaming up trips that you can’t find anywhere else, each one inspired by a deep sense of curiosity and adventure. As an organization with over 30 years of experience seamlessly delivering small-group adventures in the farthest reaches of the world, Intrepid is going to make it possible for us to bring travelers even more of what they’ve come to expect from us. To better reflect our travel style, we're changing our name: Atlas Obscura Trips is now Atlas Obscura Adventures. We're also launching a brand-new website, making it easier than ever to find your next journey. Here’s what to expect: More choices. Expect a growing collection of itineraries to choose from, each one unique to Atlas Obscura and our curiosity-driven travel style. More flexibility. With an increasing number of dates on offer, take the trip you want at a time that matches your schedule. More support. With expanded hours and a global team of on-the-ground experts, we’ll have your back both before and during your trip. Greater impact. As we partner with Intrepid, the world’s leading travel B-Corp, we’ll be doubling down on our commitment of positive-impact travel. And it all starts with our 2024 trip lineup! Next year, you can join Atlas Obscura and sleep under the stars at a Bedouin camp in Jordan, learn to dance a Cèilidh in the Scottish Highlands, gaze into the fires of the Gates of Hell in Turkmenistan, and much more. Check out the full lineup to book your next adventure.  ( 14 min )

Namdaemun is one of eight gates built into the Fortress Wall, a Joseon Dynasty fortification that surrounded and protected the city of Seoul. Namdaemun (남대문) means "South Great Door" but the gate is officially known as Sungnyemun (숭례문) "Honouring Propriety Door."An interesting side note is that it is a common but false belief among many Koreans that the name Namdaemun was imposed by the Japanese, and therefore many feel that it should not be used.  The truth is that Joseon dynasty records show naming gates after their respective direction was actually in use before the Japanese invaded.  The gate dates back to the 14th century, and is constructed in a historic pagoda-style gateway design. It was first built at the end of King Taejo's reign, in 1398, and was then rebuilt in 1447.  Yi …  ( 14 min )

On a cool August morning in 2022, Edinburgh resident Diarmid Mogg was out for a walk recovering from a bout of COVID-19. While he strolled along his quiet, residential neighborhood at the edge of the city center, a green door of a Victorian building caught his eye. The door was grubby, graffitied, and clearly very old, likely built sometime (like so much of Edinburgh) in the early 19th century. “But what was this door’s story?” Mogg wondered. What kind of lives might it have witnessed? Right there, in front of the eye-catching doorway, Mogg searched the address in the British Newspaper Archive on his phone. Within seconds, he was skimming through stories of past residents. In 1888, a window cleaner had fallen off the building and died. In 1896, a resident died of gangrene after a heavy…  ( 21 min )

The first time maritime archaeologist Joshua Marano stood at the mouth of Caesar Creek, something smelled fishy. Overlooking a snaking waterway of tangled emerald mangroves and silver-flanked snapper stood a lone interpretive sign. It featured a drawing of a courageous Black man wearing a tricornered hat and looking wistfully toward the horizon. “Many legends talk of a pirate named ‘Black Caesar,’ who was reputed to have stalked the water and keys of Biscayne Bay during the 1700s,” the sign states. “Some of these stories claim that Black Caesar left tons of silver somewhere in what is now Biscayne National Park.” Marano had heard about the pirate Black Caesar: an African chieftain shanghai’d into pirate life, or perhaps an escaped slave. Either way, the stories claimed that he plied th…  ( 21 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. Our team has shared memorable encounters they’ve had with animals—some very unexpected. For this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we visit we asked you about those experiences—and some of them are wild! Tell us your story! For a future episode, we want to hear about the places you've visited that far exceeded—or failed to meet—your expectations. To tell us all about it, give us a call at (315) 992-7902 and leave a message telling us your name, and your tale. Or you can record a voice memo and email it to us at hello@atlasobscura.com. We look forward to hearing from you! Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 14 min )

Lentils are the nutritional powerhouse that fuels the world. From surprisingly satisfying salads to savory crepes to hearty soups and stews, these recipes prove that lentils could very well be everyone's favorite legume.  ( 14 min )

After testing, we named the Breville Bambino Plus our favorite espresso machine. We also love the Breville Barista Express Impress.  ( 27 min )

We tested some of the most common methods for deseeding a pomegranate to find the easiest, cleanest one.  ( 15 min )

9月1日，杭州高架禁止特斯拉通行。车主吐槽“这有点搞笑了呀”交警回复“是有点搞笑但是你要服从” pic.twitter.com/z7Tm7cN1Yi — 李老师不是你老师 (@whyyoutouzhele) September 1, 2023 The text says: 9 yuè 1 rì, Hángzhōu gāojià jìnzhǐ Tèsīlā tōngxíng.Chēzhǔ tǔcáo “Zhè yǒudiǎn gǎoxiàole ya”. Jiāojǐng huífù “Shì yǒudiǎn gǎoxiào dànshì nǐ yào fúcóng. 9月1日，杭州高架禁止特斯拉通行。车主吐槽“这有点搞笑了呀”交警回复“是有点搞笑但是你要服从” On September 1, a Tesla was banned from passing through the Hangzhou Elevated Highway.The car owner complained, "This is a bit […]  ( 7 min )

Three reasons the visual element is as important as the written word, and why it deserves your attention Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

And what I’d recommend for other self-publishing first-timers Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Unleashing the Power of SEO: A Comprehensive Guide for Writers and Bloggers to Dominate the Digital Space Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

I recently played hooky by attending a midweek, midday baseball game at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park. The pre-game entertainment was a federal judge swearing in immigrants as citizens. The fifty brand new Americans lined up between the mound and home plate, each one waving a small American flag. The early crowd cheered the […]  ( 15 min )

A new technique for analyzing modern genetic data suggests that prehumans survived in a group of only 1,280 individuals

Many states prioritize using money from a federal energy assistance program for low-income people to defray energy costs for heating rather than cooling bills

What dermatologists say about sun sensitivity, cancer risk and the products they use for sun protection

What dermatologists say about sun sensitivity, cancer risk and the products they use for sun protection

The bite of the lone star tick makes people allergic to a sugar found in mammal products, and many doctors don’t know about it.

The full death toll from extreme heat waves, hurricanes and other climate-related disasters often isn’t revealed until weeks, months or even years after an event occurs

1. Is anthropomorphizing a socially efficient means of driving innovation with tools? (speculative) 2. The wealth premium from college is bigger than some were claiming. 3. The five-note music from Close Encounters. 4. Ben Casnocha on Singapore. 5. Apple buys classical music label BIS records. 6. Ross Douthat on Wokeness around the Anglosphere (NYT). The post Wednesday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Anti-Gnostic. “too white” at least is closer ... by "the working classes" In reply to M. I think the UK's problems are more cultural, ... by LivelyClock “4. Ben Casnocha on Singapore.” “The ability to secure ... by mkt42 “4. Ben Casnocha on Singapore.” “The ability to secure ... by mkt42 4 satire/not satire according to the woke air conditioning ... by sisterogersintersectionalneighborhoodfilmreviews Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Here is the audio, video, and transcript.  Here is the episode summary: In this special episode, Tyler sat down with Jerusalem Demsas, staff writer at The Atlantic, to discuss three books: The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin, Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift, and Of Boys and Men by Richard V. Reeves. Spanning centuries and genres and yet provoking similar questions, these […] The post My Conversation with the excellent Jerusalem Demsas appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Richard Reeves: many men are not doing well. Tyler/Demsas: ... by EdR In reply to Brendan. It does really seem like a game to see ... by dieter Laputa has no slavery? Maybe within the city itself; but if ... by Jimmy In reply to You are being far too charitable. Sorry Prior, ... by Pedro In reply to Duca. She said the people that left Omelas were ... by Nope Plus 10 more... Related Stories What should I ask Jacob Mikanowski? Twenty Years of Marginal Revolution! Is Bach the greatest achiever of all time?  ( 7 min )

John Tierney lets loose in a well-researched piece: Scholars, journalists, politicians, and activists will lavish attention on a small, badly flawed study if it purports to find bias against women, but they’ll ignore—or work to suppress—the wealth of solid research showing the opposite. Three decades ago, psychologists identified the “women-are-wonderful effect,” based on research showing that both […] The post Misandry appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Hash. When they are in charge, which is almost ... by Steve In reply to Zach. “being less sympathetic” for someone's ... by Anon In reply to jeff. There seems to be a massive surplus of ... by jerry In reply to steve. “The Office for National Statistics ... by Hash In reply to steve. Do a poll on which one is worse, living a ... by Hash Plus 10 more... Related Stories *All the Kingdoms of the World* Proudhon: To be Governed “What Harvard can learn from Olive Garden?”  ( 8 min )

That is the topic of my latest Bloomberg column, here is one observational part: Not long ago I walked through Tysons Corner Center in northern Virginia, one of America’s largest malls, serving a prosperous and well-educated community. I didn’t see a single sign or marker referring to AI. No posters announcing the coming new AI-powered […] The post America is asleep on its AI boom appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments There also weren't any Bitcoin-powered toys. Hmm. Makes you ... by JC In reply to Tom T.. There are right now dozens of billboards ... by NYSHLONSF In reply to Bill. So you're saying, let me make sure now, it ... by kwazii We've seen incredible AI adoption in cloud-based services and ... by Dan Hanson In reply to Slocum. AI generated graphic Tees using ... by Jeremiah Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

We study how US immigration policy and the Internet boom affected not just the US, but also led to a tech boom in India. Students and workers in India acquired computer science skills to join the rapidly growing US IT industry. As the number of US visas was capped, many remained in India, enabling the […] The post Mimetic desire and India’s IT growth appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Naveen K. My experience runs counter to both of ... by MJ In reply to Ben Wyatt. One spin on some Chinese programmers ... by Moral Panic In reply to steve. Even within India people can find the ... by Rahul In reply to Naveen K. It seems like there are two special ... by Worley For many years I worked for ExxonMobil, and worked with people ... by Graham Powell Plus 10 more... Related Stories An aggregate Bayesian approach to more (artificial) intelligence? The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins *The Conservative Futurist*  ( 7 min )

Coming from the simple sine function (remember of Fourier series), German mathematician Karl Weierstrass became the first to publish an example of a continuous, nowheredifferentiable function. Weierstrass function (originally defined as a Fourier series) was the first instance in which…Read more › Continue reading: Little useless-useful R functions – Continuous, nowhere differentiable Weierstrass function  ( 8 min )

Moving away from proprietary languages, Roche has made a notable decision to freeze their legacy macros library. With great enthusiasm, they now embrace R as the primary framework for evidence generation in late-stage clinical trials, and they remain open to exploring additional open-source languages in this evolving landscape. James Black, ... Continue reading: Insights on R Package Quality and Validation for Clinical Trials  ( 23 min )

Introduction Continue reading: Exploring Multivariate Data with Principal Component Analysis (PCA) Biplot in R  ( 11 min )

I really like developing software and making my own life and work easier with it. Continue reading: CRAN Download counts  ( 10 min )

Introduction ‘Space is to place as eternity is to time.’ Joseph Joubert Greetings, humanists, social and data scientists! In the realm of data science, the ability to visualize geospatial data is paramount. This is particularly true when wo... Continue reading: Mapping the Past – Geospatial Visualization in R  ( 15 min )

Plus: Dept. of Defense awards Edina-based Humanetics a $20 million contract; felony voters remain a miniscule proportion of the total ballots cast in Wisconsin; Harry Singh to reopen his Nicollet Avenue restaurant; and more.  ( 6 min )

Families of loved ones killed by police are concerned about the BCA's involvement in distributing funds to survivors.  ( 18 min )

City Council members advanced a plan to buy 57,000 additional square feet in a building they’re already redeveloping as a First Precinct headquarters.  ( 14 min )

The ACLU filed a a request to intervene on behalf of two formerly incarcerated Minnesotans who are among those whose voting rights were restored as part of a new state law.  ( 19 min )

State attorneys general and other leaders should bring forward initiatives to indiscriminately alleviate the economic strain felt across our country.  ( 10 min )

Changing the habits of this small group could go a long way toward cutting the country's planet-warming emissions.  ( 17 min )

Plus: Minnesota to return some land to the Dakota people; state flag commission questions whether more time is needed in process; Olmsted County sheriff faces dilemma over gun permits; and more.  ( 8 min )

Also AMC’s de-APE-ing, Apollo’s TRA and extinction credits.  ( 58 min )

LDCs are categories with two tensor products linked by coherent linear (or weak) distributors. The significance of this theoretical development stems from many situations in logic, theoretical computer science, and category theory where tensor products play a key role.  ( 20 min )

LDCs are categories with two tensor products linked by coherent linear (or weak) distributors. The significance of this theoretical development stems from many situations in logic, theoretical computer science, and category theory where tensor products play a key role.  ( 20 min )

I have just uploaded to the arXiv my paper “Monotone non-decreasing sequences of the Euler totient function“. This paper concerns the quantity , defined as the length of the longest subsequence of the numbers from to for which the Euler totient function is non-decreasing. The first few values of are (OEIS A365339). For instance, because […]  ( 15 min )

Connor Hainje (NYU) is looking at which uses a machine-learning regression to interpolate between cosmological simulation outputs at different cosmological epochs. To build an end-to-end pipeline for testing ideas, he has been running 32-cubed cosmological simulations. These might be the smallest simulations run since the 1980s! But, interestingly, he is finding that the interpolation isn't working great. Is this because it is harder to train a regression on a small simulation than it is on a large simulation? Is a small simulation less predictable or less interpolate-able? It's expensive to find out!this paper by Chen et al  ( 14 min )

Psychological Thrillers are not a new genre of movies and have been around for decades, however, the 21st century has seen the refinement of this category with movies which are beyond praiseworthy. What sets this genre apart is its unique ability to engage the audience in such a way that they feel the emotional turmoil […]  ( 10 min )

I have just uploaded to the arXiv my paper “Monotone non-decreasing sequences of the Euler totient function“. This paper concerns the quantity , defined as the length of the longest subsequence of the numbers from to for which the Euler totient function is non-decreasing. The first few values of are (OEIS A365339). For instance, because […]  ( 15 min )

Anna Ostropolets et al. write: Observational studies can impact patient care but must be robust and reproducible. Nonreproducibility is primarily caused by unclear reporting of design choices and analytic procedures. . . . Nine teams of highly qualified researchers reproduced … Continue reading →  ( 18 min )

Team Ratings for Week 6 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Wellington 10.72 8.72 2.00 Canterbury 10.44 9.44 1.00 North Harbour 5.05 7.75 -2.70 […] Bunnings NPC Predictions for Week 6 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

Studies have found that many Americans, particularly Black Americans, have not documented their wishes for end-of-life medical care. Advocates say such plans are especially important for Black Americans, who are more likely to experience racial discrimination and lower quality health care.  ( 15 min )

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Australians are not known for building grand family mausoleums or enormous burial monuments that are often found in other countries. Rather it is far more common for people to have a stone, sometimes on older graves an obelisk or an angel, or perhaps to have the grave paved over with tile and an iron fence (although most of the iron fences were removed long ago, for a variety of reasons). These days, most modern cemeteries simply encourage the use of a metal plaque on a concrete block to facilitate mowing the lawns. But this building is something else. It is large, topped with an urn made of concrete, and with walls of stained glass.   On seeing it front-on you are met by a Lintel entitled "The Temple of Peace," with four marble-lead plaques with text, and within the small chamber, there…  ( 15 min )

Entering Cut Bank, Montana, it's hard to miss the sign announcing that you've entered the coldest town in America. Because that sign takes the form of a giant concrete penguin. The big bird was created by Cut Bank resident Ron Gustafson more than 30 years ago. "It was on one of those flash-frozen days, February 1, 1989," according to Roadside America, "when the wind chill plummeted to 64 degrees below zero" and Gustafson decided he should commemorate the town's claim to fame. The 27-foot-tall penguin stood outside of his family's appliance store. The base of the statue proclaims Cut Bank "the coldest spot in the nation," but is that actually true? In the winter, the temperature rarely gets above freezing. The coldest temperature in the town's history was -47 degrees Fahrenheit, which happened on February 15, 1936. (The record for lowest temperature in the United States comes from Prospect Creek, Alaska, which hit -80 degrees Fahrenheit on January 23, 1971.)  ( 13 min )

Have you ever sat down and asked yourself, “Well, where is it, exactly, where the deer and the antelope play?” To find the answer, you need to head to a cabin located in Smith County, Kansas, where the classic American folk song “Home on the Range” is claimed to have originated. As with most great works of art, “Home on the Range” was originally drafted by an otolaryngologist. Dr. Brewster M. Higley VI had moved from Indiana to a cabin on the banks of West Beaver Creek. Inspired by the natural beauty of his new surroundings, he wrote a poem he titled “My Western Home.” While Dr. Higley was operating on a man with a gunshot wound, a friend of the patient read the poem and said he should publish it. Dr. Higley published it in the Smith County Pioneer in 1874 (although a friend recalled see…  ( 15 min )

It’s widely known that Walt Disney had a secret apartment on the second floor of Disneyland Fire Department, which overlooks the entire park. It was his favorite spot, and he would light the lamp by the window whenever he came up here, signaling to cast members that the man himself was at work. Curiously, it is said that the lamp kept turning itself on after Walt's death in 1966, which developed into an urban legend before long. Some believe that it contains his spirit and that he is always watching the guests enjoy his masterpiece that will never be completed, an ever-growing kingdom of dreams. Though a variant of the legend claims that the lamp has never been turned off since the supernatural incident, it is not quite true, of course, and avid park-goers and Disney historians have noted that the current lamp, as well as the one before it, is a replacement and not the original Walt Disney lamp. Casual guests, on the other hand, may not even know how significant this fire department building is in the first place. The legendary apartment is not open to the public, and you can only see the lamp from ground level. On special occasions, however, Disneyland Park offers guided tours which include a visit to the upper apartment, a rare opportunity to meet Walt Disney's ghost face to face.  ( 13 min )

The subtleties of women have long baffled men. Take anthropologist William Webb. In the 1940s, he was briefly perplexed to find hunting tools in the ancient graves of women. Webb, then head of the department of archaeology and anthropology at the University of Kentucky, was investigating the Indian Knoll site, from the Late Archaic Period (5,000 to 3,000 years ago). He concluded that the hunting gear—in this case an atlatl, or spear-thrower—must have been placed there by husbands, or because they made pretty hair ornaments. “It is hardly to be supposed that ... women would have any practical use in life for an atlatl … such occurrences represent true burial offerings to the dead of artifacts primarily intended for the use of men,” Webb wrote in 1946. Webb, a white cis-man, was operatin…  ( 20 min )

The museum of Manuel is hard to miss from the outside because the plane that landed on its roof really sets the tone. Once you enter past the (slightly loud) buzzer, a happy and proud Manuel is there to give you a warm welcome. "Three halls," he says in a modest way. Once inside you'll turn around and realize your head contains too few eyes to absorb the place in one look. It's beautifully stuffed, arranged by themes and one can see how many years of collecting have gone into this. Past these three halls, the museum expands outside when you go around the corner only to let your jaw drop once again by realizing the museum doubles or even triples size here, just as packed with finds and treasures by Manuel as all the other halls. Open since 1977, the Musée chez Manuel displays all the finds of this tireless traveler-collector in over 2,000 square meters of exhibition space. Manuel Ribeiro, founder of the museum: “I crossed France as a traveling salesman. One day a farmer gave me a trolley lamp. And I caught the collecting virus.” On the flyer of the museum (also called Musee d'Art Populaire) it says it shows automobiles, bicycles, motorcycles, pedal cars, old toys and unusual objects. That last term fits best, for this museum is filled with passion and dedication, leaning towards obsession in the best way possible.  ( 13 min )

In the Souto da Retorta, also known as the Chavín Eucalyptus Forest, near the town of Viveiro in Galicia, there are some of the tallest eucalyptus trees on the continent. The largest and most outstanding among them is O Avó ("grandfather" in Galician). A tree of the species Eucalyptus globulus was planted here in 1880 in order to drain the lowlands flooded by the streams of the river Landro. The eucalyptus arrived in Europe in the 19th century, specifically in northwestern Spain, when a Galician priest brought its seeds from the distant Australian lands where he had been a missionary.  Optimally adapted to the conditions of the humid oceanic climate and spread massively throughout northern Spain where, due to its rapid growth, it has been cultivated to obtain wood and paper. These eucalyptus plants were the first planted here, and O Avó is the oldest of them, being the biggest tree in Spain, standing more than 67 meters (220 feet) tall.  (There is controversy due to the height of one of the eucalyptus trees that surround it with which it has a close height of a few feet difference) Furthermore it would be the tallest eucalyptus in Europe.  A perimeter fence has been installed to protect O Avó, since due to its age, it is affected by various diseases and also to avoid compaction of the ground in its surroundings that could affect its growth. In 2010, O Avó was elected Tree of the Year by Bosques sin Fronteras (Forests Without Borders).  ( 14 min )

The American Giants Museum holds the largest collection of Muffler Men in one place on Route 66. The museum, which was completed in October 2022, presents the story of International Fiberglass, which produced hundreds of animal and human advertising figures in the 1960s. It is located in Atlanta, Illinois, which is home to its very own giant roadside man: the hot dog-holding Paul Bunyon (sic).  ( 13 min )

Kitaichi Glass is one of the most popular brands based in Otaru, established in 1901 as a manufacturer of petrol lamps and trawler floats. As Otaru developed into a major tourist destination over the years, it shifted to producing tableware, ornaments, wind chimes, and the like, branching into a total of 17 locations within the city. On the bustling Sakaimachi-Dori shopping street stands the Sangokan ("Building No. 3"), a historic building constructed in 1891 as a fishery warehouse where local herrings were processed and canned. Trolley tracks from those bygone days, which connected the warehouse to the harbor, are also well preserved, allowing visitors to walk over as an atmospheric corridor. Today, the former warehouse is home to an outlet of Kitaichi Glass, three floors full of stunning glassware, as well as a café called the Kitaichi Hall. Simply put, the Kitaichi Hall is nothing short of magnificence, with a lofty ceiling and wooden beams. Its only source of lighting is 167 petroleum lamps, a few on each table and some on the chandeliers above, giving a warm, nostalgic, dreamlike feel to the place. Along the wall sits a Steinway grand piano, where live performances are held daily from Tuesday to Friday (except national holidays) at 2:00, 3:00, and 4:00 PM. Full of local fare, the menu is well worth a mention, of course. The whipped ice cream and royal milk tea are made from the famous Hokkaido milk, and the parfait is made from haskap, the blue honeysuckle native to Hokkaido. During the lunch hours between 11:00 AM and 2:50 PM, you can also order rice bowls and noodles featuring Hokkaido's signature seafood: crab, salmon, and salmon roe. There's a nice selection of Otaru's craft beer, too. The petroleum lamps are lit by human hands every morning at 8:45, allowing early visitors to watch the operation before opening for the day at 9:00.  ( 14 min )

When Uriel Alfaro Castro was 13 years old, he followed his seven older siblings to start his first day of work at the family oxcart factory. His father, Eloy Alfaro, who founded the factory in 1923 in Sarchí, Costa Rica, asked his son which craft he wanted to learn to help construct the carts. Out of woodworking, blacksmithing, and mechanics, the young Castro chose mechanics—and 70 years later, he is still diligently constructing oxcarts in the tiny town of Sarchí, masterfully crafting each part by hand with the help of his associates. Oxcarts have been commonly used throughout Central America, but those sporting bright colors and intricate patterns are unique to Costa Rica. They were essential to Costa Rica’s growth, enabling the transport of coffee from the rugged mountains to the coas…  ( 17 min )

Deep in a wooded area near the University town of Lampeter, West Wales is an outdoor theatre. Around it, hidden in the woodland are figures of angels and wood spirits carved from the trees. In front of the stage are tiered seats that have been fashioned from the hilly natural slope of the wood. To the right of the slowly decaying stage next to a poem written in the Welsh language is a poem by Dylan Thomas, Wales's most famous poet. His poem 'Do not go gentle into that good night' was written by Thomas in the knowledge of the death of his father. This is perhaps a fitting tribute to the theatre itself. Parts of the wooden stage have collapsed and other areas are beginning to rot away. It appears to have been some time since a performance was staged at this magical location. Longwood Woodland Theatre started out as part of a community initiative in 2003. An area of woodland was purchased and run as a social enterprise. It became Wales's first sustainable community woodland. Built as a zero-carbon project, it was constructed using timber from the local forest without cement or concrete. Two hundred volunteers took part in the enterprise from local rural communities where social exclusion can be a challenge to young people. One of the aims of the project was to restore non-native plantations to native broadleaf species. Since 2007, 10,000 trees have been planted. There is limited information concerning how many plays or musicals were staged at the theatre, but it may have fallen into disuse during the Covid pandemic in 2020 where social distancing laws prevented any outdoor gatherings from taking place. Nature has now started to reclaim these spaces. Songs and performances are now only by birds such as Goldcrest and the rare Wood Warblers that nest here.  ( 14 min )

On a bench in the center of Yoshkar-Ola, the capital of the Mari El Republic, sits a bronze sculpture of a smug-faced cat with a newspaper spread under his butt. This is the Yoshkin Cat, a visual representation of a Russian expletive. In Russian, yoshkin-kot (literally “Yoshkin cat”) is a humorous phrase uttered in surprise or mild shock, perhaps similar to the “holy cow” in English. One theory suggests that it may refer to Bayun, a magical cat in Russian fairytales, who often assists the witch Baba Yaga. However, it is not known what yoshkin (or sometimes ezhkin) really means anymore—perhaps a corruption of some earlier word. But one thing is thought to be clear: that it has nothing to do with Yoshkar-Ola, despite the similarity of the sounds. Still, the Cat of Yoshkar-Ola keeps on smirking smugly, regardless of his relevance.  ( 12 min )

In the early 20th century, Sir Hubert Miller was the Lord of the Manor in the picturesque Hampshire village of Froyle. The Miller family had been a prominent presence in the community for over a century, funding church repairs and the construction of a village school. Miller was a man of deep faith and often traveled to his villa in Venice, Italy. During his travels, he acquired an impressive collection of religious icons and saintly statues, which he brought back to Froyle and installed in the village's church. Over time, his collection grew larger, and he began placing these beautiful sculptures around the village too, adorning Upper Froyle with 19 unique and highly detailed figures. Thanks to Miller's passion for collecting, Froyle was christened "The Village of Saints." To this day, the thatched cottages and redbrick houses of Upper Froyle continue to display these fantastic figures. One of the most charming homes in Froyle is Post Office Cottage, which features a statue of Saint Hubert, the patron saint of hunting, for whom Sir Hubert is the namesake. Whether you're a history buff, a lover of art, or simply someone who appreciates the beauty of charming villages, Froyle and its fascinating collection of saints are sure to capture your heart.  ( 14 min )

Housed within the collections of the Museum of Anthropology at the University of Missouri's Museum Support Center is a peculiar artifact, and one of the newest in comparison with the other 2 million artifacts in the museum's collections. A 1975 Ford Econoline van named Ghost Dancing sits idle, decades after taking the journey recounted in the book Blue Highways: A Journey into America.  The van was named after the Ghost Dance, first practiced by the Nevada Northern Paiute tribe as a way to ward off American Western Expansion. Author William Trogden published Blue Highways under the name William Least-Heat Moon, harkening to his father's indigenous roots that he used as a guiding principle for his journey. William Least-Heat Moon got divorced, lost his job as a professor at Stephen's College in Columbia, and in 1978 set off on a three-month journey in a circle around the United States to connect with people in small towns such as Why, Arizona, and Whynot, Mississippi. Decades before the #VanLife trend, Least-Heat Moon lived in Ghost Dancing, following the 'blue highways' on his Rand McNally atlas to direct him toward the paths less traveled.  "When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then," he wrote. "People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.”  In the Museum Support Center's collections, you can also visit the Grayson Archery Collection—the world's most extensive collection of historical bows and arrows. From six continents, the Grayson collection catalogs the history of archery through indigenous history, various types of mechanical advancements through the ages, and world record-holding bows.  ( 14 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we head just an hour west of Philadelphia, where there’s a charming town in Pennsylvania that produces about two thirds of all the mushrooms sold in the United States. Check out the mycelium madness during the town’s annual festival. This Small Town, Big Story episode is produced in partnership with Go USA TV. Check out our video series featuring Kennet Square here. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 15 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

That's one of the extreme nicknames for Xi Jinping that are being used to avoid censorship.  It consists of the three tones for his name, Xí Jìnpíng 习近平. Likewise, netizens are referring to him as "2-4-2".  He is also called "N" because that reminds people of ↗↘↗.  Another emerging Xi nickname is “n-butane,” whose chemical […]  ( 8 min )

A young yeoman farmer falls in love with a beautiful girl who belongs to the outlaw clan which killed his father.  ( 3 min )

Tarzan seeks to rescue his kidnapped wife from a lost city hidden in a prehistoric jungle.  ( 2 min )

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The Berlin R User Group fosters a diverse and vibrant R community in Berlin. Rafael Camargo shared some insights from his experience regarding the potential of R and some anecdotes... Continue reading: Spatial Data Science Using R in Berlin, Germany  ( 13 min )

Weather and climate are words often used interchangeably in casual conversations. But when a chilly summer breeze sweeps through in July, or when unexpected rains dampen our winter holidays, the age-old debate resurfaces: “Is climate change even real?” If you want to dive deep into the fascinating realm of chaotic ... Continue reading: Is this still Weather or is it already Climate? Decoding Chaos!  ( 13 min )

Hey guys, welcome back to my R-tips newsletter. In today’s R-tip, I’m sharing a super common data science task (one that saved me 20 hours per week)… You’re getting the cheat code to automating Google Sheets. Plus, I’m sharing exactly how I made this a... Continue reading: ChatGPT: How to automate Google Sheets in under 2 minutes (with R)  ( 16 min )

Intro/Overview to TidyTuesday 36: Union Membership in the United States Continue reading: TidyTuesday 36: Visualizing Worker Demographic Information with Treemaps  ( 35 min )

As an R programmer, one of the most useful functions to know is the jitter function. The jitter function is used to add random noise to a numeric vector, which can be helpful when visualizing data in a scatterplot. By using the jitter function, w... Continue reading: When to use Jitter  ( 11 min )

Introduction With ties Correlation coefficients by hand Pearson With and without ties Spearman With ties Kendall Without ties Verification in R Introduction Continue reading: Pearson, Spearman and Kendall correlation coefficients by hand  ( 61 min )

Amtrak will soon get 28 high-speed rail cars. But they won't operate at high speeds because Amtrak tracks are outdated

Doom and gloom, or realism and hope? Here’s how six climate experts describe the future to their young children

Extreme heat can slow and even damage electronics ranging from computers to cars

A new interpretation of Isaac Newton’s writings clarifies what the father of classical mechanics meant in his first law of motion

Plus: Gisela Castro Medina sentenced in Lazzaro case; Rochester using geothermal wells to reduce greenhouse gas emissions; a $2 million Powerball-winning ticket was sold in Avon; and more.  ( 6 min )

A St. Paul proposal would ban smoking of any kind in any city park, covering everything from cigars on the golf course to vapes at the skate park.  ( 22 min )

“The [uncertain] Four Seasons” is a musical score based on climate data dependent on the location of the performance.  ( 11 min )

Giving utilities free rein to undermine the state's commitment to 100% clean energy is an affront to this banner achievement and to the many years of activism by countless Minnesotans that it took to secure it.  ( 11 min )

Since statehood, Minnesota workers have joined together to improve and protect their livelihoods, rights, and voices in the workplace.  ( 35 min )

Beyond engineering and production, a wide range of employees need to be able to “talk the lingo” of electrification, one executive says.  ( 15 min )

Lorie Regenold, 54, admits that she still worries about what her son's life will be like when she gets older. Making sure he has a safe place to live requires advocacy and effort, Regenold said.  ( 20 min )

Plus: Protest at Stillwater prison shines light on staffing shortages, prison conditions; Meta considers Rosemount for new data center; police investigate man grazed by bullet at State Fair; and more.  ( 11 min )

1. Can we talk to whales? (New Yorker) 2. Roland Fryer podcast with Russ Roberts. 3. Why has per capita Medicare spending slowed down? (NYT)  And the changing economics of higher education (NYT). 4. How much are male-female partners alike? 5. Flying puffin. 6. Edith Grossman, RIP. The post Tuesday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Humans are too dumb to talk with whales. by Yancey Ward Tyler must lose his mind reading our comments. “I give you ... by Harvey Bungus In reply to Mark T. Yes, exactly. Just wait until the oldest ... by Yancey Ward 3 tikka tuesday's tilting towards totalitarianism award winner ... by community notes In reply to john. The Forbes article to which I linked has ... by Steve Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

I hadn’t seen it in many years, and this time around I know more about demonology.  Much more.  If there were a Second Coming, how would we distinguish it from the Antichrist?  How would we distinguish aliens from either?  The movie explores these questions in considerable depth, so no it’s not Spielberg happy and shiny […] The post Rewatching *Close Encounters of the Third Kind* (with a few spoilers) appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments It was the second film I ever went to see by myself (I had just ... by Yancey Ward In reply to Lord Byron. They're surrendering to aliens right ... by Anon In reply to dave. What I can't get over in that scene is that ... by Lord Action In reply to Agammamon. Great comment, no notes. by Isaac Shalev In reply to lol. Frenchness? I kid. by Anon Plus 10 more...  ( 7 min )

In our textbook, Modern Principles of Economics, Tyler and I predicted that lab grown diamonds would break the DeBeers cartel. Well, it’s finally happening. Bloomberg: One of the world’s most popular types of rough diamonds has plunged into a pricing free fall, as an increasing number of Americans choose engagement rings made from lab-grown stones […] The post A Diamond Pricing Puzzle appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Dinwar. The tradition appears in an English folk ... by Michael Watts In reply to Martinned. Has anyone bothered to map diamond ... by Hmm In reply to Call me a cynic. “Possibly because Veblen is ... by Dismalist In reply to Ariel. It's not a bad idea from De beers, and it ... by aaron In reply to blue jay. There is a difference between an ... by aaron Plus 10 more... Related Stories Labor Day Disputes over China and structural imbalances The good news  ( 8 min )

my most anticipated podcast of the year is out! I talked to @tylercowen about a variety of topics– How Singapore can get weirder– What happens to kids and public intellectuals in a post-GPT world– Why he's optimistic on Kenyan economic growth And more!https://t.co/ZZ6z52hqKD — Pradyumna (@PradyuPrasad) September 4, 2023 The post Podcast with Pradumnya Prasad appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments I love seeing him on Twitter, excited to listen. by Breeq Pretty funny. by Rich Berger In reply to nicholas gurs, please call me nick. Nick, how ... by Hemant Kumar  ( 6 min )

There has been some pushback on my recent China consumption post, so let me review my initial points: There exists a view, found most commonly in Michael Pettit (and also Matthew Klein), that suggests economies can have structural shortfalls of consumption in the long run and outside of liquidity traps. My argument was that this […] The post Disputes over China and structural imbalances appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Mitchell. Pettis explains his preferred means of ... by Craken I think the traditional open economy workhorse ... by Albert In reply to Scott Mauldin. Kind of sort of. It is possible ... by Anon If prices adjust thereby creating an equilibrium between ... by Leester In reply to M. Specifically a response to the phrasing here, ... by M Plus 10 more... Related Stories A Diamond Pricing Puzzle Labor Day The Dominican Republic is underrated  ( 8 min )

I'm returning to the question of whether American values have changed:  specifically, whether there's been a move towards money and careers and away from personal relationships.  Following a suggestion from Claude Fischer, I looked at the World Values Survey.  Starting in 1990, it has a series of questions asking how important various things are in your life:  very important, rather important, not very important, or not at all important.  People are asked about family, friends, leisure time, politics, work and religion.  The average ratings in the United States: Religion and work have clearly declined, while the others don't show any clear trend.  In 1990, family ranked first, then friends and work almost tied, then leisure and religion almost tied, then politics far behind.  Now it's fa…  ( 9 min )

Also Grayscale fees, Sculptor fights and Sam Bankman-Fried’s Robinhood shares.  ( 59 min )

A step-by-step guide to cutting cauliflower into florets and steaks.  ( 13 min )

We tested 11 moka pots to find out which made the best coffee and were the easiest to use.  ( 25 min )

These step-by-step guides show how to cut up carrots every way you might need to, from batons to matchsticks, dice, and brunoise.  ( 14 min )

We talked with a whisky master to figure out the right way to taste whisky and use a whisky-nosing glass—and about some excellent bottles to try.  ( 20 min )

Marc Tessier-Lavigne, the former president of Stanford University who resigned following scrutiny of his published papers and an institutional research misconduct investigation, has retracted a third paper, this one from Cell.  Last week, Tessier-Lavigne retracted two articles from Science that had been published in 2001.  The Cell paper, A Ligand-Gated Association between Cytoplasmic Domains of … Continue reading Former Stanford president retracts 1999 Cell paper  ( 7 min )

Elsevier journals are retracting eight studies after learning that one of the authors on the papers was “fictitious” – as in a similar case we reported on recently.  The ostensible author, Toshiyuki Bangi, was listed as affiliated with the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. The eight studies, which … Continue reading Eight papers retracted after author found to be fictional  ( 10 min )

This is Jessica. In The Rational Agent Benchmark for Data Visualization, Yifan Wu, Ziyang Guo, Michalis Mamakos, Jason Hartline and I write:  Understanding how helpful a visualization is from experimental results is difficult because the observed performance is confounded with … Continue reading →  ( 14 min )

Several job opportunities in beautiful Finland! Fully funded postdoc and doctoral student positions in various topics including Bayesian modeling, probabilistic programming and workflows with me and other professors in Aalto University and University of Helsinki, funded by Finnish Center for … Continue reading →  ( 10 min )

A couple of years ago I asked, What happened with HMOs?: Back in the 1970s, I remember occasionally reading a newspaper or magazine article about this mysterious thing called an HMO—a “health maintenance organization.” The idea was that the medical … Continue reading →  ( 21 min )

This post is by Phil Price, not Andrew. A few months ago I finished a small consulting contract — it would have been less than three weeks, if I worked on it full time — and I find it has … Continue reading →  ( 34 min )

A central idempotent in a monoidal category $(\mathbf{C}, \otimes, I)$ is a way to speak about the "location" of a process taking place in $\mathbf{C}$, but without referring to points, space, or distance.  ( 10 min )

Ho�ng Xu�n S�nh was born 90 years ago today.  ( 3 min )

A central idempotent in a monoidal category $(\mathbf{C}, \otimes, I)$ is a way to speak about the "location" of a process taking place in $\mathbf{C}$, but without referring to points, space, or distance.  ( 10 min )

Hoàng Xuân Sính was born 90 years ago today.  ( 3 min )

It’s Hoàng Xuân Sính’s 90th birthday today! Here she is in front of Grothendieck in 1967: He taught algebraic geometry in the countryside in Vietnam while Hanoi was being bombed, and she took notes. After he left she did her thesis with him by correspondence! When the war ended, she went to Paris to defend […]  ( 8 min )

The Indian Center for Theoretical Sciences is located in a rural area a few kilometers north of Bangalore, in southern India. Bangalore is a mid-sized city that saw a very big expansion in the past few years due to having become a center for the information technology in the country - with most of the big multinationals opening sections there. The rapid expansion increased the wealth of the middle class there (but remember, the middle class is the top 5% in India), but it also created stress to the traffic in the city, which is notoriously a plague there.The campus of ICTS is very nice from an architectonic point of view, embedding nature in its buildings and trying to integrate the two realities. Below is a picture. read more  ( 7 min )

When you work in a curvilinear coordinate system, and you need to take gradients or tensor derivatives of scalar, vector, and tensor functions, the gradients of the unit vectors appear in your expressions. The unit vectors have gradients because, in a curvilinear coordinate system, they have orientations that depend on position. I gestured and imagined and guessed these derivatives for a spherical coordinate system by thinking geometrically. I got strange expressions I didn't believe. Then, today, I checked them by painstakingly taking derivatives, and my intuitive derivatives turned out to be exactly correct?  ( 14 min )

It’s Hoàng Xuân Sính’s 90th birthday today! Here she is in front of Grothendieck in 1967: He taught algebraic geometry in the countryside in Vietnam while Hanoi was being bombed, and she took notes. After he left she did her thesis with him by correspondence! When the war ended, she went to Paris to defend […]  ( 8 min )

Climate Change Tracker Track climate change, global warming and greenhouse gas emissions. Explore the latest data and insights. Share and make an impact! [ftofani]  ( 1 min )

With the rising demand for lithium during the clean energy transition, the Salton Sea has become an attractive location for major energy companies. While frontline communities are cautiously optimistic about the economic potential, they also remain wary about health, water, and environmental issues.  ( 16 min )

Solomon’s knot is actually not a knot in a mathematical sense. It is a link because it consists of two loops. It is famous for being the simplest linked link with the linking number zero. The linking number is an invariant of a link, which equals zero for the unlink (when the two loops are […]  ( 5 min )

Team Ratings for Finals Week 1 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Panthers 13.38 12.99 0.40 Storm 9.45 11.21 -1.80 Broncos 5.89 -5.92 11.80 […] NRL Predictions for Finals Week 1 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

Team Ratings for Round 4 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Stade Toulousain 6.89 7.24 -0.30 Stade Rochelais 6.38 6.40 -0.00 Racing 92 4.44 […] Top 14 Predictions for Round 4 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

Team Ratings for Wednesday Game for Round 5 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Wellington 10.72 8.72 2.00 Canterbury 10.44 9.44 1.00 North Harbour […] Bunnings NPC Predictions for Wednesday Game for Round 5 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

My wife and I feed wet food to our two cats Ben and Jerry at the same time every day. Ben spends the whole prior hour crying for that food. He seems to be expect that, if not for his lobbying, we’d never feed him. Jerry instead spends a similar time spread out across prior 24 hours lobbying for our immediate attention then. He seems to expect that we wouldn’t feed or house him if he could not induce us to pay enough regular attention to him.

Tech moguls plan new city in Solano County

Tech moguls plan new city in Solano County

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I read population size estimation with capture-recapture in presence of individual misidentification and low recapture arXived by Rémy Fraysse and coauthors on my flight back from Saigon. The setup is one of a capture-recapture experience where potential misidentification (of a recapture individual labelled as new) may occur due to visual identification errors as, e.g., in […]  ( 7 min )

I read population size estimation with capture-recapture in presence of individual misidentification and low recapture arXived by Rémy Fraysse and coauthors on my flight back from Saigon. The setup is one of a capture-recapture experience where potential misidentification (of a recapture individual labelled as new) may occur due to visual identification errors as, e.g., in […]  ( 7 min )

Let's motivate this blog post by first formalizing what a resource theory is. Coecke et al. represent a resource theory in "A mathematical theory of resources" as a symmetric monoidal category (SMC), which is a familiar construction in applied category theory.  ( 5 min )

Let's motivate this blog post by first formalizing what a resource theory is. Coecke et al. represent a resource theory in "A mathematical theory of resources" as a symmetric monoidal category (SMC), which is a familiar construction in applied category theory.  ( 5 min )

How to write stories that stand the test of time Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

KKR buys Simon & Schuster Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

You lose your audience the second you try to sell them something Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

1. Why are food trucks abandoning D.C. for the suburbs? 2. Golf course living leads to a diet shift for American alligators. 3. Tenochtilan reconstruction, the founding of a city. 4. My podcast with More to Learn. 5. Bottoms is quite a good movie, much smarter and more serious than its preview might indicate. 6. […] The post Monday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments 1 one of the intelligence community meme zombies who signed the ... by sisterogersintersectionalneighborhoodfilmreviews #3 As a long-time player of Civilization I have nurtured ... by MrSquiggles In reply to Clay. A blessed and long overdue de-scaling. ... by Anti-Gnostic In reply to Hadur. The upside of the COVID panicdemic was it ... by Anti-Gnostic #1 of course the subtext is the ongoing challenge that people ... by Clay Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Oliver Anthony (perhaps he should leave his town of per capita income 13k?) is the centerpiece of the column, but I’ll excerpt the bit of Springsteen: When singers turn to economic issues, who plays the role of victim? Very often it is people who have lost their jobs, such as in Bruce Springsteen’s “My Hometown,” […] The post Why are folk songs such a poor guide to economics? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Dinwar. What if the coasters get more votes than ... by rsm In reply to Benny Lava. “Does the author suppose that laid ... by Dinwar In reply to b(2). “… it is easier to present identifiable ... by EdR “Score one for folk singers. If you’d like another example, ... by Ted In reply to EdR. Why do you defend spoofing? You look like a ... by Bill Plus 10 more...  ( 7 min )

Thanks capitalism! The post Labor Day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Leo. I work less hours due to a lucrative hourly ... by Anti-Gnostic Stupid thing to say- sleeps with WONations under his pillow. ... by Antony T. In reply to Rod. The massively increased productivity due to ... by D In reply to MR commenter. You must be nervous. You don't ... by Bill In reply to Richard Hoste. Fake Spoofing at 10:03:52. ... by Won't Real Dick H Please Stand Up Plus 10 more... Related Stories The Dominican Republic is underrated Who Runs the AEA? Does China need more consumption?  ( 6 min )

I’ve been reading and rereading biographies of Bach lately (for some podcast prep), and it strikes me he might count as the greatest achiever of all time.  That is distinct from say regarding him as your favorite composer or artist of all time.  I would include the following metrics as relevant for that designation: 1. […] The post Is Bach the greatest achiever of all time? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to MCO3. If sports count, surely Marion Tinsley must ... by Y. 7 and 9 are poor criteria and somewhat contradictory. 7 praises ... by Y. In reply to MCO3. Goals and passes are instrumental, not the ... by Messi would need 4-5 world cups to be like Bach or the others In reply to MCO3. Same credentials far, far younger, and ... by Mbappe would like a word! According to Wikipedia, regarding Euler: “It has been ... by Carson Cumbee Plus 10 more... Related Stories Proudhon: To be Governed My Conversation with Vishy Anand When does the quality premium disappear?  ( 8 min )

Or: solar deployment is ~0.5% of global GDP and growing 43% Y/Y. https://t.co/1EqOj9C9vf — Patrick Collison (@patrickc) September 4, 2023 The post The good news appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Does it look like gas consumption is going up? ... by Crikey China installed 87 gigawatts of solar last year. That's enough ... by Crikey In reply to Heedless. Why do you think fusion will be much ... by floccina In reply to Andao. If modern batteries weren't a thing, solar ... by Crikey In reply to Crikey. Solar today implies natural gas for when ... by Joe In Morgantown Plus 10 more... Related Stories Does China need more consumption? Congratulations to Tharman! South Appalachia > North Appalachia  ( 6 min )

You can take a warp pipe back to your childhood in Fargo, North Dakota, where two artists have collaborated on a mural of one of the most famous scenes in video game history. The artists call this interactive art project the "Fargo Mario Wall," while others may consider it Instagram bait for elder millennials. Although now a popular tourist attraction, the "Fargo Mario Wall" began life as a semi-guerrilla street art project by an artist couple who went by the handles “Dark Elvis” and “Icky Hiccup.” After an earlier mural project was covered up, the artists were convinced that they had to find a wall for their idea for a mural based upon World 1-1 in Super Mario Bros., and they connected with a Fargo-based community building organization, Folkways to complete the mural in 2018. The mural consists of the beginning scene of World 1-1, where Mario encounters his first enemy, the Goomba, perhaps the single most-defeated enemy in video game history. Mario is missing from the work, to allow passersby to complete the image themselves. The interactive display allows visitors to choose to either stomp the Goomba, raise their fists to hit the power-up for a mushroom, or both.  ( 13 min )

Originally established in 598 CE, the Raiden Shrine in the Gunma town of Itakura is known as Japan’s main center of thunder worship, and for centuries, people have prayed to the gods of thunder here for protection from natural disasters. While the shrine itself is an impressive sight, with the current building dating back to 1835, it is also home to a hidden gem lying in an annex building just across the road. Namazu-San is a sleek brass sculpture of a catfish with a slight smile, comfortably placed on a long cushion. Guarding him is a group of red demons representing thunder. In Japanese folklore, the giant subterrestrial catfish is considered to be the cause of earthquakes, often subdued by another god of thunder. Since the Middle Ages, this association has been common knowledge and reflected everywhere in Japanese culture, from traffic signs to Pokémon. The brazen catfish of Raiden Shrine is not only worshipped for protection against earthquakes, but also for his confidence-boosting mojo. The unattended shrine lets visitors take a handkerchief for a donation of 300 yen and wipe Namazu-San with it, rubbing off his charm so that they can take it home for good luck. The unusual belief and practice derive from a simple wordplay, something Japanese culture traditionally appreciates. To put it simply, “earthquake” and “confidence” are homophonous in Japanese, written as 地震 and 自信 respectively but both read jishin.  ( 13 min )

Atlas Obscura’s weekly crossword comes to us from Natan Last, a writer who also helps develop policy and digital products for refugees and asylum seekers. His work can be found in The Atlantic, Los Angeles Review of Books, The New Yorker, and other publications, and he's currently working on a nonfiction book about crosswords. You can solve the puzzle below, or download it in .pdf or .puz. Note that the links in the clues will take you to Atlas Obscura pages that may contain the answer. Happy solving!  ( 12 min )

Nolan-heads rejoice! The hotly-anticipated biographical drama starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the theoretical physicist known as the father of the atomic bomb who spearheaded the Manhattan Project, finally hit cinemas on July 21. Based on the non-fiction bestseller “American Prometheus”, Christopher Nolan’s star-studded epic dramatizes the U.S. efforts to create the first nuclear […]  ( 8 min )

A “Darwinian paradox” is that homosexual activity occurs even though it does not lead to or aid in reproduction. But if you visit three capuchin monkeys in Los Angeles, they’ll show you how beneficial their liaisons are.

A “Darwinian paradox” is that homosexual activity occurs even though it does not lead to or aid in reproduction. But if you visit three capuchin monkeys in Los Angeles, they’ll show you how beneficial their liaisons are.

Extreme heat is becoming more common across the U.S. The federal government and employers owe workers better safety measures

The simple and fun act of reading for pleasure in early childhood produces better cognition, mental health and educational attainment in adolescence

Researchers will inseminate female ocelots in zoos with sperm from the few remaining wild ocelots, then train kittens for the wild

Kaiser writes: After over a year of navigating the peer-review system (a first for me!), my paper with Mark Jones and Peter Doshi on observational studies of Covid vaccines is published. I believe this may be the first published paper … Continue reading →  ( 14 min )

Tatar Tatars "Tatar Journalists More Likely to Cover Controversial Topics When They Write or Speak in Tatar, One of Their Number Says" Paul Goble, Window on Eurasia — New Series Monday, August 28, 2023            Staunton, Aug. 28 – Tatar journalists are more likely to cover controversial topics when they write or speak in Tatar […]  ( 9 min )

What happens to Creative Writing in a ChatGPT world? The meaning of both “writing” and “creative” may have just changed. The word “writing” used to mean something like: “selecting and assembling words into sentences.” Daniel Dennett (a philosopher and cognitive scientist) was interviewed in the New York Times last week. He described writing this way: […]  ( 10 min )

Police departments in New York and Los Angeles are joining numerous other cities that have deployed dog-like robots for policing and surveillance. But many law enforcement agencies are acquiring the robots with little transparency, critics say, and while largely declining to release data on number and use.  ( 19 min )

A young sea apprentice finds himself in charge of a ship, which is led astray to a land where the slave trade abounds.  ( 2 min )

This post is the third one of a series of post about webR: Using webR in an Express JS REST API The Old Faithful Geyser Data shiny app with webR, Bootstrap & ExpressJS Preloading your R packages in webR in an Express JS API Note: the first post of this series ... Continue reading: Preloading your R packages in webR in an Express JS API  ( 54 min )

Interaction adventures through simulations and gradient boosting trees using the S-learner approach. I hadn’t realized that lightGBM and XGBoost could reveal interaction terms without explicit specification. Quite intriguing! picture resembles interaction 🤣 Objectives: What is interaction? Simulate interaction Visualize interaction True Model ✅ Wrong Model ❌ What is S Learner? What is ... Continue reading: Exploring Interaction Effects and S-Learners  ( 30 min )

Risk-neutralize simulations in Quantitative Finance Continue reading: Risk-neutralize simulations  ( 8 min )

No content preview  ( 1 min )

In reply to Sourav. Excellent!  ( 34 min )

Congrats to all runners of the UTMB 2023 this weekend, but most particularly to Alexis Baron a friend and colleague of our daughter in Martinique, who finished 164th in less than 30 hours the 172.2km length and  9967m elevation race.  ( 6 min )

Three Excuses That Convince Us Not To Delete Weak Scenes and How to Get Past Them Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

The sci-fi secret to keeping readers (over and over) Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

It’s not as impossible as you may think Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

I recently saw another puzzle on Facebook, a generalization of a problem from the 2002 Belarus Olympiad. In the problem, there are red and white boxes. Given how Russia and Belarus are filled with propaganda, my first question was whether the Belarusian flag was red and white. But in fact, the official flag is red […]  ( 5 min )

Trains between the two cities [Budapest and Vienna] were fast — four and a quarter hours in 1896.  In 2022 it was three hours and thirty-five minutes. And: Budapest finance caught up and surpassed the growth of agricultural and industrial production.  By 1900 Budapest became the bankming centre of Central and Eastern Europe.  Between 1867, […] The post That was then, this is now, Budapest edition appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments Can I quote von Mises, in the Theory of Money and Credit, Part ... by rsm In reply to Crusader. Nothing is forever…I cannot see ... by surfie John Lukacs died in 2019. A remarkable man with a remarkable ... by So Much For Subtlety Maybe the book will remind Hungarians, who have a century-long ... by Rebes Great, I guess superficial reading about Hungary is the step ... by Test Plus 4 more... Related Stories What should I ask Jacob Mikanowski? That was then, this is now, concentration of notables edition Twenty Years of Marginal Revolution!  ( 7 min )

1. Ian Leslie on stories. 2. When and why did French fertility fall so rapidly? 3. Different accents in English. 4. Glimpse inside the Delhi punk scene. 5. Can you blame him?  A story of biryani. 6. Alas, GBD was not about protecting the vulnerable.  Sorry, people. 7. Is the standard model of the universe […] The post Sunday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Sean Kelleher. It appears you have not yet read ... by Objective analyst In reply to cosmic econ. What if there were a million better ... by rsm 2. Note this is self-reinforcing, as secular people are better ... by Crikey In reply to anonprof. There are many undisturbed areas of ... by kwazii In reply to DP100. social media posts that use single sources ... by So Much For Subtlety Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

To be GOVERNED is to be watched, inspected, spied upon, directed, law-driven, numbered, regulated, enrolled, indoctrinated, preached at, controlled, checked, estimated, valued, censured, commanded, by creatures who have neither the right nor the wisdom nor the virtue to do so. To be GOVERNED is to be at every operation, at every transaction noted, registered, counted, […] The post Proudhon: To be Governed appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Hadur. What if I value freedom higher than you ... by rsm In reply to EdR. We have millions more parents than public ... by Edward Burke In reply to Edward Burke. “… abolish public education ... by EdR In reply to EdR. Although our federal authorities began ... by Edward Burke In reply to Edward Burke. Bottom line is that 'the many ... by nonknown Plus 10 more... Related Stories The Mother Church of the Common Law *All the Kingdoms of the World* Italy fact of the day  ( 7 min )

Despite being one of Latin America’s poorest countries in the mid-1960s, the Dominican Republic has made remarkable progress in terms of income convergence… What is remarkable about the Dominican Republic’s progress is not just the level of convergence but also its speed compared to other countries in the region. By examining the average convergence velocity, […] The post The Dominican Republic is underrated appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to davebarnes. The American view of race is ... by Hmm In reply to Hmm. Language. Haiti is French-speaking and the ... by yo In reply to sxb. Pumping water back up the locks and just the ... by yo In reply to Engineer. Walls are pretty porous. The reason ... by Sean In reply to Physics lover. For much of it's history Haiti ... by Jim Plus 10 more... Related Stories Who Runs the AEA? The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins Towards a Platform for Dominant Assurance Contracts  ( 7 min )

That is a new JEL publication (gated) by Kevin D. Hoover and Andrej Svorenčík, here is the abstract: The leadership structure of the American Economic Association is documented using a biographical database covering every officer and losing candidate for AEA offices from 1950 to 2019. The analysis focuses on institutional affiliations by education and employment. […] The post Who Runs the AEA? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Tom Meadowcroft. I think it's closer to “DEI ... by OldCurmudgeon Is the AEA supposed to be a democracy? by mort main One of the biggest issues that results from this Ivy autocracy ... by Coriolanus In reply to Tom Meadowcroft. Given that these institutions ... by Bill In reply to mkt42. That is an unusual definition. Source? by Exegete Plus 10 more... Related Stories Driverless Cars May Already Be Safer Than Human Drivers The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins “What Harvard can learn from Olive Garden?”  ( 7 min )

emoj 📌 “Find relevant emoji from text on the command-line 😮 ✨ 🙌 🐴 💥 🙈” Itsycal for Mac 📌 “...a tiny menu bar calendar” Dev Pages 📌 “The fastest growing library of tools for all your programming needs.” Emoji Combiner “Choose 2 emojis to mix, and see their combination!” Styling the details element 📌 Who knew! 😲  ( 1 min )

I use data for income inequality to show that billionaires are socially made. The post Billionaires Are So Predictable appeared first on Economics from the Top Down.  ( 31 min )

Following up on yesterday’s post, I was wondering how many Americans drink. A quick google led to this page from Gallup. The overall rate has been steady at a bit over 60% for decades: And the graph at the top … Continue reading →  ( 15 min )

奥本海默中国大陆版本剪辑情况 pic.twitter.com/Nbjxy5PJ4J — 小径残雪 (@xiaojingcanxue) September 1, 2023 [link to full tweet here] Notice the title of each group of five panels: yuánbǎn 原版 ("original edition") for the uncut version, and jiǎnbǎn ✂️版 [=剪版] (meaning jiǎnjí bǎn 剪輯版) for the censored version — all the more notable for its being written in pen, not typed […]  ( 9 min )

An additional perk of visiting Sài Gòn last week was in enjoying the rich and diverse food scene there, even though, obviously, I only scratched the surface of the offer there. Among dishes, a morning rice pancake called bunh cuon,   several phos,  sweet sea snails, another broth called bun thang (with blood sausage), a […]  ( 7 min )

But it was the part I didn’t like anyway Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Sticking to this sticky formula can make your audience stick around Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

In reply to Sourav. Ok, I understand now. It is straightforward to check that the it is a sufficient condition.  ( 34 min )

In reply to David Speyer. Can you please provide a reference for the statement "for any s in S, and any path gamma through s, all of f^{-1}(s) can be obtained as limits along paths in X lying over gamma"? Is this also a sufficient condition for flatness over DVR? My only confusion is what if the closed fibre has torsion/nilpotent elements! the "limit statement somehow does not say anything about nilpotent elements. Please let me know what I am missing.  ( 34 min )

"Dynamical Chern Simons Gravity" ain't  ( 3 min )

I showed you my pictures of Skara Brae, but another great archaeological site I saw on my trip to Orkney was the stone circle called the Ring of Brodgar. This is located nearby: But unlike Skara Brae it’s not on the west shore, on the Norwegian Sea. Instead, it’s on a small isthmus between the […]  ( 7 min )

I had a long conversation with Kate Storey-Fisher (NYU) and Abby Williams (Caltech) about the dipole in the catalog caused by the kinematic motion of the Solar System barycenter with respect to the cosmic rest frame. Williams has found that the amplitude of the dipole we get depends very strongly on how we account for dust in our sample. There is currently a controversy about the amplitude of the dipole seen in quasars. We now think that it is possible that the measured amplitude is a strong function of how dust is corrected for in the sample? We designed new tests for next week.QuaiaWISE  ( 14 min )

The Bucks are signing Alex Antetokounmpo. Now all 3 brothers are playing together. pic.twitter.com/rwD5QVY8RX — SAY CHEESE! 👄🧀 (@SaycheeseDGTL) September 1, 2023 And now Alex has been waived? The post Model this (p.s. price controls!) appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to JT. Let's be honest, there's an enormous part of ... by We've got very reliable intelligence tests In reply to Bill. Love that “real” Bill has delusions of ... by Bill In reply to Scott (others may use this name). You shut your ... by Fake Bill In reply to EdR. Let's be honest: few parts of the “rest of ... by JT In reply to Bill. What gives you claim to a rather common ... by Scott (others may use this name) Plus 10 more... Related Stories My Conversation with Vishy Anand In which sector are the top performers stupidest?  ( 6 min )

1. The Howdy Doody longhorn steer car culture that is Nebraska, good video too (NYT).  Who needs an old-style NJ hood ornament? 2. Investment is booming in Ohio. 3. Markets in everything: buy a government surveillance van for 26k. 4. The political economy of the Magna Carta. 5. Become an expert in something specific and […] The post Saturday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to EdR. What's this thing about low taxes? People ... by Kaleberg In reply to But we say “the” constitution and declaration ... by dearieme In reply to Moral Panic. “he was writing an English ... by mkt42 In reply to The “real” EdR. I won't change my views to ... by Bill Magna Carta was a contract between two groups of murderous rent ... by Just EdR not "the EdR Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Moyamo at LessWrong is committed to getting dominant assurance contracts, aka refund bonuses up and running. Imagine a world with no ads or paywalls. A world where open-source software gets the same level of funding as proprietary software. A world where people can freely reuse ideas and music without paying royalties. A world where people get […] The post Towards a Platform for Dominant Assurance Contracts appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Socratic Psychiatrist. Indeed, you don't. A ... by TGGP It is always amazing to me how many people want to turn things ... by Antiplanner In reply to george m weinberg. > But if there's anyone in the ... by TGGP In reply to Why. It's not “insane” to be personally ... by TGGP In reply to Bill. If you read the link, he explicitly ... by TGGP Plus 10 more... Related Stories Does China need more consumption? Driverless Cars May Already Be Safer Than Human Drivers The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins  ( 7 min )

The author is Kevin Vallier, and the subtitle is On Radical Religious Alternatives to Liberalism.  This is an excellent and important book, starting with its defense of classical liberalism over Catholic integralism and indeed illiberalism more generally.  But do note that Kevin, although a professional philosopher is also a Christian (Eastern Orthodox), and he is […] The post *All the Kingdoms of the World* appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments I watched a long conversation with him after this post. After ... by oyamel In reply to Student. I largely agree, except that to the ... by John Former student of Professor Vallier here. I have nothing but ... by John Denver In reply to Tom. The book defends integralism for sixty pages ... by A Fairer Tom Could be an interesting read. Hopefully it gives a clear case ... by no pio nono Plus 10 more... Related Stories What should I ask Jacob Mikanowski? “What Harvard can learn from Olive Garden?” Don’t Doubt: Saint Thomas in India  ( 6 min )

I am repeatedly puzzled by this claim, which you will find in Michael Pettis, Paul Krugman, and others (WSJ), even Stephen Roach.  It might make sense for short-run matters, when prices are (maybe) sticky.  But as of late we are talking about how to restructure China for medium- and long-term growth. Investment good prices are […] The post Does China need more consumption? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments “we are talking about how to restructure China for medium- ... by Godfree Roberts In reply to Jonathan Vause. Me going into that mode and ... by M In reply to M. You are of course correct. But I’m ... by JSA In reply to Bill. Fake Bill, then you should take the credit ... by Bill I, for one, fully agree with Tyler. That WSJ article was ... by Aaronn Plus 10 more... Related Stories Driverless Cars May Already Be Safer Than Human Drivers Congratulations to Tharman! South Appalachia > North Appalachia  ( 7 min )

SINGAPORE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION: Tharman Shanmugaratnam is the next President after a landslide victory with 70.4% of the vote; Ng Kok Song finishes second (15.72%), followed by Tan Kin Lian (13.88%) https://t.co/8XuMy0xFIG #PE2023 pic.twitter.com/RJp0ca14SQ — CNA (@ChannelNewsAsia) September 1, 2023 The post Congratulations to Tharman! appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.        Related Stories South Appalachia > North Appalachia Driverless Cars May Already Be Safer Than Human Drivers Latin America fact of the day  ( 6 min )

I showed you my pictures of Skara Brae, but another great archaeological site I saw on my trip to Orkney was the stone circle called the Ring of Brodgar. This is located nearby: But unlike Skara Brae it’s not on the west shore, on the Norwegian Sea. Instead, it’s on a small isthmus between the […]  ( 7 min )

Science Fiction is a genre that has fascinated and permeated the culture ever since people could tell stories. Before there was even a word for technology, early humans were desperate to explain the happenings around them, and crafted stories to make all the mysteries more palatable./ Human existence has always been haunted by the what […]  ( 10 min )

Daniel Lakeland writes: This one deserves some visibility, because of just how awful it is. It goes along with the adage about incompetence indistinguishable from malice. It’s got everything.. 1) Non-statistical significance taken as evidence of zero effect 2) A … Continue reading →  ( 21 min )

“Controversieelverklaard worden die wetsvoorstellen en onderwerpen waarvan redelijkerwijze verwacht mag worden dat behandeling met een ander kabinet tot een andere uitkomst zal leiden.” – website Eerste Kamer Al bijna drie jaar is er een spoedwet in de maak om de wetgeving voor de Nederlandse Inlichtingen- en Veiligheidsdiensten ingrijpend te veranderen. Ik schreef hier eerder uitgebreid over, en ik sprak er (samen met vele anderen) ook over in een rondetafel gesprek in de Tweede Kamer (video, spreektekst met voetnoten).  ( 2 min )

The Differences between Old English, Middle English and Modern English By Danièle Cybulskie When people study Shakespeare in high school, I often hear them refer to his language as “Old English.” As far as the language goes, Shakespeare’s English actually falls under the category of “Modern English.” This may be a little hard to believe, […]  ( 15 min )

There are talented scientists worldwide who do not speak fluent English. We have to accommodate the language barrier or risk losing their potential

Would you consider a donation to support Weekend Reads, and our daily work? The week at Retraction Watch featured: Our list of retracted or withdrawn COVID-19 papers is up to well over 350. There are now 42,000 retractions in our database — which powers retraction alerts in Edifix, EndNote, LibKey, Papers, and Zotero. The Retraction Watch Hijacked Journal Checker now contains 200 titles. And have you … Continue reading Weekend reads: A journey through a paper mill; Stanford president’s retractions; developments in Gino case  ( 8 min )

A rare occurrence of an MCMC paper in Nature!!! David Layden and co-authors published this paper on 12 July, about using a quantum proposal in a Metropolis-Rosenbluth-Hastings simulation of an Ising model. More specifically, based on “quenched dynamics of a transverse-field quantum Ising model20, which can be efficiently simulated on a quantum computer21“, which amounts […]  ( 7 min )

A rare occurrence of an MCMC paper in Nature!!! David Layden and co-authors published this paper on 12 July, about using a quantum proposal in a Metropolis-Rosenbluth-Hastings simulation of an Ising model. More specifically, based on “quenched dynamics of a transverse-field quantum Ising model20, which can be efficiently simulated on a quantum computer21“, which amounts […]  ( 7 min )

Half a mile east of Rosehearty, a ruined castle sits on the slopes of a hill overlooking a sandy bay. Pitsligo Castle was originally designed as a keep dating to 1424. It was then modified in the 1570s by the Forbes of Druminnor. Despite not having a particularly strong or strategically important location, Pitsligo Castle overlooked the shipping route along the Moray Firth coast. Scottish historian W. Douglas Simpson described Pitsligo Castle as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, a term used to refer to the rocky headland of northeast Aberdeenshire. The castle has an arched gateway in the outer courtyard's west wall, which is marked both with the date 1656 and the coats of arms of both the Forbes and the Eskine families. In the inner court, however, the date is shown as 1663. Several armorial plaques can be found on other inner walls, including the Pitsligo Arms of 1665 and the Royal Arms dated 1577 and 1603. There is a tall flanking drum tower in the northeast corner of the courtyard. Pitsligo Castle's main tower had three vaulted stories, but since its abandonment nearly everything above the lowest level has disappeared. The Forbes family made the mistake of supporting the Jacobite cause, and in 1745 their estate forfeited to the crown. Flemish troops led by William Lascelles, looted and destroyed Pitsligo Castle in 1845. Eventually, the roof was removed and the castle fell into ruin. At some point, it appears that restoration work was begun on the castle. Some of the fallen masonry has been collected into large piles of rubble that litter the inner courtyard. Work currently appears halted.  ( 13 min )

Walter Johnson, who some historians consider the greatest pitcher in baseball history, was born on a farm outside Humboldt, Kansas, on November 6, 1887. As a child, he would help his parents, Frank and Minnie, manage their 160-acre farm. However, by the time Walter was 13, his parents had to sell the farm due to ongoing drought, and Walter moved into Humboldt, where he attended school.  Walter Johnson moved with his family to Southern California in 1902, where he began to pick up the game of baseball. An athletic child, he picked the game up quickly, becoming something of a phenom who began to garner attention, first from local and regional semipro teams, and eventually, by 1907, the Washington Senators. The Senators were a notorious doormat when Johnson joined the franchise, but he so…  ( 14 min )

Gastro Obscura’s Summer Cookout columnist Paula Marcoux is a food historian and the author of Cooking With Fire. Throughout the summer, she’s been sharing recipes and stories from the luminous history of open-fire cooking. “Truly thou art damned: like an ill-roasted egg, all on one side.” William Shakespeare’s witty fool Touchstone lets this zinger fly in As You Like It, and the food historian senses a challenge. The art of egg-roasting may now be as bygone as an eglantine or a bodkin, but what can be learned of the history and fate of the technique? Furthermore, in defining for us an ill-roasted egg, Touchstone not only proposes a history question, but presents a cooking challenge—to well-roast an egg, evenly, and to taste. It’s likely that roasting eggs in the dying remains of a …  ( 29 min )

The Peranakans, also known as the Baba-Nyonya in the Malay Peninsula, are descendants of the first-wave Southern Chinese settlers in Southeast Asia. Their culture, now endangered, is prevalent in the old streets of Malacca—the port city that once flourished from foreign trade. Located on Jalan Tun Tan Cheng Lock, the Baba & Nyonya Heritage Museum is housed in a preserved two-story Peranakan mansion built in 1861 for the wealthy Chan family. Since its public opening in March 1985, it has been run by their descendants and showcases the lavish lifestyle of the Baba-Nyonya in their heyday. Inside, the rooms are gorgeously furnished in the style of the late 19th century, highlighted throughout with gold leaf carvings of vines and auspicious birds. It adds to the place an almost palatial fee…  ( 14 min )

A 22-meter cast iron statue known as la Fuente Pública (the Public Fountain) was created in 1984 by the Valencian architect Miquel Navarro, commissioned by Aguas Potables for 5 million pesetas. It was built to commemorate water entering the city through the Turia-Júcar Canal from the Júcar River. Because of its resemblance to the Pink Panther, a beloved cartoon character that debuted in the 1960s, the fountain is known as "La Pantera Rosa." It changed color from its original pinkish red to pink, only to be painted back to its original red hue. Having led to criticisms for its controversial look and placement in the city, it is a must-visit for its rather strange connection to the cartoon character. Many locals can agree that it looks rather odd, leading to the idea behind its creation often being missed.  ( 13 min )

If you know one thing about 12th-century Arab cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi, it is that he is the author of this wonky world map, which is often included in modern atlases as a prime example of medieval mapmaking skills. That invites comparisons that do him no favors. Among the hyper-precise maps in today’s atlases, al-Idrisi’s looks like a child’s drawing. His Europe is sketchy, his Asia amorphous, and his Africa manages to be both partial and oversized. Plus, the map is a planisphere—the projection of a sphere onto a flat (and typically circular) plane—which creates the mistaken impression that al-Idrisi was a flat-Earther of the Discworld variety. And that’s not all that’s wrong with this map. For starters, you’re seeing it upside-down. As did most Arab maps of that time, this o…  ( 22 min )

A monumental statue of the Buddha sits on the slopes of Mount Toham, looking out to sea. It is the heart of Seokguram Grotto, a Buddhist temple built in the 8th century. Kim Dae-Seong, a Prime Minister of the Silla Dynasty initiated and supervised the construction of both a temple and a grotto at Mount Toham. It is said that he had the temple built in memory of his parents in his present life, and the grotto in memory of his parents from a previous life. Work was completed on the grotto in 774, shortly after Kim's death. Due to the small size of the grotto it is thought that it was probably used exclusively by the Silla royalty who took over its construction after Kim passed away. The tradition of carving images of Buddha from stone into cliff walls and natural caves began in India. …  ( 14 min )

Wonder is everywhere. That’s why, every other week, Atlas Obscura drags you down some of the rabbit holes we encounter as we search for our unusual stories. We highlight surprising finds, great writing, and inspiring stories from some of our favorite publications. The Republic of Cows by Jude Isabella, Hakai Magazine Chirikof, a remote island off the coast of Alaska, is about the size of two Manhattans—and home to more than 2,000 cows. Depending on whom you ask, writes Jude Isabella, the cattle are either unwelcome invasive megafauna or rightful heirs of a place they have inhabited for at least 200 years. Whether they stay or go will probably come down to human emotion, rather than historical or ecological evidence. Saving Gaza’s History and Heritage by Abdelhakim Abu Riash, A…  ( 18 min )

The “Mother Road” that helped define America’s love affair with the road trip is now decommissioned, but key parts of historic U.S. Highway 66 remain, and aficionados still trace the route from its origin near the shore of Lake Michigan in Chicago to its unofficial terminus in Santa Monica, California. And though it’s always been understood as a journey heading west, it does go both ways, both beginning and ending in Chicago on the Midwest Coast. U.S. Highway 66 was officially created by the U.S. Bureau of Public Roads in 1926 as one of the highways that would make up the network of America’s first Federal highway interstate system. The new system redesignated existing roads in many areas to piece together a coordinated interstate system. According to the Route 66 Association of Illinois, Route 66 began in Chicago in 1926 at the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue. This initial portion of the highway was renamed Illinois State 4, which ran from Chicago to East St. Louis. With this pre-existing state highway, the Illinois portion of Route 66 was the first to be completely paved and was also the first to replace the existing road with the U.S. highway. In the mid-1950s, the starting point of Route 66 was moved over a block due to a change in Chicago traffic patterns that made Jackson Drive a one-way street. Today, Historic Route 66 begins in front of the Art Institute of Chicago, with a sign on the south side of the street that is almost completely covered in stickers. It ends where it originally began at East Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue with a sign on Jackson Boulevard that is less covered in stickers and much more easily identifiable. As exemplified in John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath, the route is about more than transportation, it’s about people, their stories, and our collective history.  ( 14 min )

In the tranquil grounds of Holy Cross Cemetery in Malden, Massachusetts, a truly extraordinary sight awaits the curious and the faithful alike. Here, amidst the serenity, lies the final resting place of Father Patrick J. Power, an Irish priest whose life, though short-lived, has left an indelible mark on the hearts of visitors for over 150 years. This unassuming grave has become a beacon of hope, drawing hundreds of pilgrims each week, all in search of the miraculous healing powers believed to emanate from the rainwater collected on its surface. Born in Waterford, Ireland, Father Power's journey took an unexpected turn when he found himself on the shores of the United States at the tender age of four, orphaned by the untimely loss of his parents. He was ordained as a priest at just 24 ye…  ( 13 min )

A broch is a uniquely Scottish Iron Age form of roundhouse fortification usually found in the northern part of the country. There are over 500 brochs in Scotland, mostly distributed between northern and western Scotland and the islands, with only a small handful in the Scottish Lowlands. Edin's Hall Broch sits as part of a very unusual complex. The hill fort that surrounds the broch predates the broch by about 2,000 to 2,500 years. The broch itself is thought to date back to some time between 0-200 A.D. It has double ramparts which enclose an oval area measuring 135 meters by 75 meters. The ramparts are impressive, in places standing up to 4.5 meters in height. Towards the center of the fort are the remains of a large roundhouse, which would likely have been the most important building in the enclosure prior to the construction of the broch. The broch stands tucked away in one corner of the hill fort, within an oval enclosure of 58 meters by 54 meters that separates it from the rest of the site. What remains of the thick stone wall hints at its impressive size. A narrow entrance passageway to the west side would have been guarded by two chambers set back in the wall on either side of the doorway. The walls themselves also held chambers, three of them in almost dumbbell shape. They were sturdy enough to support staircases that rose up between the walls to provide access to the wallhead. What makes Edin's Hall so unusual is its massive size. At 28 meters in diameter to the outer wall, it stands much larger than most Highland broch. Some have suggested that it would not have stood as tall as other brochs because of its diameter, but there is evidence that the walls originally stood to twice their current height at around two meters.  There are also suggestions that it possibly was not covered in the same way as other brochs, making it more like a substantial Iron Age roundhouse than a traditional broch.  ( 14 min )

In a 1932 interview, Marietta Sabatini was asked to describe the life of her late employer, Pellegrino Artusi. It was “a continuous alternation,” she said, “between the study and the kitchen; the pen, and the saucepans.” The founder of a successful bank and a longtime resident of Florence, Artusi was a wealthy bachelor who devoted his retirement to his interests. These included analyzing poetry, attending university lectures, and collecting recipes to be tested by his household cook and Sabatini, his housekeeper (Artusi was menu-planner and taster, but did little cooking himself). Friends encouraged Artusi to publish his recipe collection. In 1891, when he was 71 years old, Artusi collected his recipes into a book, Scienza in cucina e l’arte di mangiar bene (Science in the Kitchen and …  ( 22 min )

Finished in October of 1892, the Old Liberty County Jail replaced the original one-story Storywood Jail. The original jail site and date of construction are unknown. The plan for the new jail included a split floor plan with a wall down the middle, splitting the jail between men and women. In 1940-1941, there were a number of modifications and alterations done to the building, including a new roof and updated iron-clad cells. The jail was closed by Governor Lester Maddox and was eventually auctioned off to the Liberty County Housing Authority. After that, the building was donated to the city of Hinesville, where they have been holding exhibits for local artists. The museum/art exhibit is open every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday from 10 am to 2 pm. Entry is free and parking is available beside the building.  ( 13 min )

This area of the Insurgentes Mixcoac colonia (neighborhood) of Mexico City, could well be called "Little Spain." Not necessarily because of a large migrant community from the European country, but rather just because of its street names. Málaga, Santander, Cádiz, and others can be found here, although Seville does not get a street and is instead the namesake of the Plaza Sevilla, a small roundabout with a peculiar monument at its center. The Fuente de Sevilla (Seville Fountain) was built here in the 1920s, with a design from architect Leonardo Noriega and engineer Javier Stávoli. Noriega and Stávoli are probably best known for the Parque México, one of the city's main parks. Parque México is located in the Condesa colonia, noted for its Art Deco and Art Nouveau architecture, dating to the 1920s and 30s. Plaza Sevilla's fountain follows the same trends, with an almost pyramidal geometric design, decorated with undulating corners and stained glass on all four sides. Near the top, paintings of the Sun and Moon complete the design. The fountain basin is carved in stone, and the designers' names are found on a plaque here. By the 1970s, the fountain stood forgotten, and for almost 50 years it was vandalized and deteriorated (even losing an original clock). Its renovation was finished in 2020, and since then, it has stood as a small yet significant century-old heritage.  ( 13 min )

Haridwar is a Hindu pilgrimage city in northern India. The focal point for pilgrims to Haridwar is known as Har Ki Pauri. The name means "God's steps" since it is believed that Lord Vishnu walked here. It's here that the Ganges River comes down from the foothills of the Himalayas and enters the plains of eastern India. At this auspicious location, Hindu pilgrims come to bathe in the river and give offerings. Ceremonies and festivals often take place here as well. Every evening the Ganga Aarti ceremony can be seen at sunset where a fire offering is made to the river goddess,  the Goddess Ganga or Maa Ganga. Various Hindu festivals often take place here, the largest of which is the Kumbh Mela. Every 12 years thousands of pilgrims descend on Haridwar for the Kumbh Mela and crowd into Har Ki Pauri. The next Haridwar Kumbh Mela will take place in 2033.  ( 13 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we transports listeners to the gorgeous coastal waters of Maine as we set sail aboard the Lewis R. French—the oldest commercial sailing vessel in the US and a National Historic Landmark. Join host Dylan Thuras as he learns about windjammers from Captain Becky Wright, who just took the helm of the Lewis R. French in 2022. Originally built as a freight schooner and launched in April, 1871, the Lewis R. French was rebuilt for the passenger trade in the 1970s and has had a second life taking travelers on multi day adventures up and down the coast of Maine. We’ll hear about Captain Becky’s background and how her father’s love of maritime fiction inspired her to pursue a career that seemed impossible until she learned about the windjammers in Maine. Her stories and experiences will illuminate why cruising on a windjammer is the ideal way to experience Maine...and we’ll find out why Maine is one of the only places in the world where visitors can still have these authentic nautical experiences.  ( 16 min )

You can be anything!” — Barbie  ( 11 min )

Six simple steps to follow Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 7 min )

Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

Finalist #16 in the Book Review Contest

Finalist #16 in the Book Review Contest

Plus: State Rep. Wolgamott pleads guilty to drunken driving; Natalie Darwitz will lead Minnesota’s new women’s hockey team; Sept. 9 is free state parks day; and more.

Legislative investment into improving the quality of work has been haphazard and minuscule when compared with recent investments in alleviating pain and premature deaths.

HHS sent a formal request that DEA move marijuana from its schedule I list of drugs to schedule III.

First Avenue has become an international tourist attraction, galvanized as the set of Prince’s performances in the 1984 movie, “Purple Rain,” and a spot to pay homage to his legacy since his passing in 2015. The Entry has a very different cachet. Less renowned, but, in its own singular fashion, potent.

The advocates’ attorneys said the city’s demands are "extremely atypical" and "feel intimidating." The City Attorney said there’s nothing abnormal about its requests.

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In opposing the measure, Lyft shamelessly called for a “broader statewide solution,” less than three months after taking the lead in fighting against that approach.

Plus: Carleton College ends legacy admissions after affirmative action SCOTUS ruling; tenants suing Dinkytown apartment; Gov. Walz’s cat goes missing; and more.

An updated COVID vaccine will be available soon, but certain groups may benefit more than others

Denial of climate change is driven by ideology, leaving its consequences to harm us all—especially the world's poorest

New research suggests that blood clotting from COVID infections could contribute to long-term brain fog and other cognitive issues

An experiment at the University of Cambridge highlights the environmental cost of a well-manicured lawn

Here’s how newfound “spicy” birds resist their potent neurotoxin

An electrode inspired by soft robotics could provide less invasive brain-machine interfaces

A new technique for sending hidden messages is mathematically proven to escape detection

Do try this at home

A striking purple species is one piece of the fungal kingdom’s uncharted diversity

Drunk intestines; speedy pigeons

Letters to the editors for the April 2023 issue of Scientific American

Nanoparticles can allow long-term freezing of transplant organs

The Luddites did not hate technology—but they did fight the way it was used to exploit humans.

Yellow, white or maybe even green—the sun’s hue depends on how you see it

The ARC classifies 27.2 percent of North Appalachian counties as distressed but only 9.6 percent of South Appalachian counties that way. Over 70 percent of counties in South Appalachia have grown in population since the 2020 Census. North Appalachia lost 17,131 people in total, while South Appalachia gained 127,585. The difference in net in-migration is […] The post South Appalachia > North Appalachia appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to mkt42. That's A Girl of the Limberlost country ... by Kaleberg In reply to Nick. Right, but southern Appalachia as defined ... by H In reply to dearieme. Coal mining never benefited the region. ... by Kaleberg In reply to Hazel Meade. I blame it on King Cotton. The ... by Kaleberg That's no surprise. The coal belt peters out in Tennessee, so ... by Kaleberg Plus 10 more... Related Stories The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins Driverless Cars May Already Be Safer Than Human Drivers Latin America fact of the day  ( 7 min )

1. What influences people to go vegetarian? 2. The mystery of the Bloomfield bridge. 3. How tight was the ancient population bottleneck? 4. How do animals find their way back? (New Yorker) 5. Betting on me on AI. 6. AI eavesdrops on voice chat and bans toxic players. 7. James Brown and Gabon. The post Friday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Tom T.. Countless things we do have long-term ... by Morris Applebaum IV #2 Extremely interesting, but had to get a serving of pointless ... by Morris Applebaum IV In reply to Dan S.. > A company is interested in having ... by Well… In reply to mkt42. But unless you're working with a bunch of ... by Etalon d'Silomar In reply to Jon B. Beats living with the Dinosaurs by ged Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Tim Lee runs the numbers: Waymo and Cruise have driven a combined total of 8 million driverless miles, including more than 4 million in San Francisco since the start of 2023. And because California law requires self-driving companies to report every significant crash, we know a lot about how they’ve performed. For this story, I […] The post Driverless Cars May Already Be Safer Than Human Drivers appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to jmkd. Thanks for sharing the data. Really ... by Doug In reply to anonprof. Just make each driverless car its own ... by Etalon d'Silomar It is important to keep in mind that a perfect robot driver ... by Dallas Weaver Ph.D. In reply to Rahul. > Make sure it's near one of those ... by Oldcurmudgeon In reply to anonprof. There are already plenty of commercial ... by Jess Riedel Plus 10 more... Related Stories Italy fact of the day The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins “What Harvard can learn from Olive Garden?”  ( 8 min )

The year 2022 was a vintage one for political turmoil in Latin America. Colombia elected a leftwing former guerrilla as president, Chile considered (and rejected) a radical new constitution, Peru’s elected president was impeached and imprisoned pending trial after after a failed attempt to seize extraordinary powers and Brazil’s far-right leader Jair Bolsonaro narrowly lost […] The post Latin America fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Crusader (Drunk with input from sober crusadette). ... by Tom Meadowcroft In reply to Anti-Gnostic. “The world would be better served ... by Kaiser Pie in the Sky In reply to Automated Noticer. Consider the possibility it ... by dearieme In reply to mkt42. “And if they get their act together, ... by Todd K In reply to M. That occurred to me too, but too late. by dearieme Plus 10 more... Related Stories New Emergent Ventures Vertical Supports Talent Identification Projects Italy fact of the day The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins  ( 7 min )

Suppose you were an unusual sort of person: one who wanted, above all else, to know the laws of physics. Not content with the rules governing just one sort of thing, a star or an atom or a galaxy, you want to know the fundamental rules behind everything in the universe. A good reductionist, you […]  ( 11 min )

The word 'separable' means two things, but today we'll use some geometry to show every finite separable extension of a field is a separable algebra over that field. And don't worry, I'll explain what all this stuff means!  ( 6 min )

Horror is a genre that wears many different faces, much like the monsters that populate them. There’s something in them for everybody, whether you’re searching for a sheer rush of adrenaline or something more substantial and intellectually intoxicating. For every fun, boilerplate slasher in which a group of attractive, sexually promiscuous, weed-obsessed head out into […]  ( 11 min )

MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center will receive DoE support to improve access to fusion data and increase workforce diversity.  ( 8 min )

A colleague asked for my thoughts on a draft of a discussion of a published paper, and I responded: My main suggestion is this: Yes, your short article is a discussion of another article, and that will be clear when … Continue reading →  ( 9 min )

The word 'separable' means two things, but today we'll use some geometry to show every finite separable extension of a field is a separable algebra over that field. And don't worry, I'll explain what all this stuff means!  ( 6 min )

I write to announce an exceptional opportunity to learn the Turkish languages of Central Asia. There is a new Turkic course at Penn: TURK 1050.   This is a survey course that introduces students to the main languages spoken in Central Asia: Kazakh, Uzbek, Kyrgyz, Azeri. The language study will facilitate student research in topics like […]  ( 8 min )

Advisory to staff of the embassy of Japan in Beijing: ALPS shori mizu no kaiyō hōshutsu kaishi ni tomonau chūi kanki (2023-nen 8 tsuki 25-nichi) ALPS処理水の海洋放出開始に伴う注意喚起（2023年8月25日） Warning regarding the start of ocean discharge of ALPS-treated water (August 25, 2023) Kinō (24-nichi), fusoku no jitai ga hassei suru kanōsei wa haijo dekinai tame chūi shite itadaku […]  ( 9 min )

traumagotchi Nova’s site Jason Journals ratwalks endless.horse  ( 1 min )

A preprint about millipedes that was written using OpenAI’s chatbot ChatGPT is back online after being withdrawn for including made-up references, Retraction Watch has learned.  The paper, fake references and all, is also under review by a journal specializing in tropical insects. “This undermines trust in the scientific literature,” said Henrik Enghoff, a millipede researcher … Continue reading Withdrawn AI-written preprint on millipedes resurfaces, causing alarm  ( 8 min )

In “Interstellar,” Harvard professor Avi Loeb makes the case that searching for physical evidence of alien technology, on land, on sea and in the skies, is not just an important scientific pursuit but one that will elevate our species, perhaps by connecting it to more advanced cosmic civilizations.  ( 13 min )

Introduction Continue reading: Kernel Density Plots in R  ( 11 min )

I’m delighted that R users can have access to the incredible Hugging Face pre-trained models. In this demonstration, we provide a straightforward example of how to utilize them for sentiment analysis using GPT-generated synthetic data from evaluation comments. Let’s go! Interesting Problem 😎 What if you’re faced with ... Continue reading: Hugging Face 🤗, with a warm embrace, meet R️ ❤️  ( 28 min )

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Nowadays the sleepy Queensland town of Muttaburra is best known for the discovery of the towering dinosaur known as the Muttaburrasaurus. But it also boasts a number of other unusual finds, including the A.A. Cassimitis General Store Museum.  The Cassimitis General Store Museum is a general store originally founded in 1918 that appears to have been later abandoned and preserved in time, with stocks of hardware, automotive supplies, crockery, and farm machinery all still on display. In 1911, Andrew Andrew (A.A.) Cassimatis and his son George left their home on a Greek island to build a new life in Australia. After some time in Sydney, the father-son duo moved north and then west, finally landing in Muttaburra. A.A. and George built a general store in the town in 1918. The small store sold everything from groceries and hardware to automotive supplies. Eventually the Cassimatises expanded into other businesses: icemaking, soft drinks, agriculture, and more.  The store closed not long after A.A. Cassimatis died in 1942. The building became a bank for a time, but in the 1990s, the Cassimatis General Store was restored as a museum celebrating the business that it once was.  ( 13 min )

The strikingly gorgeous stations of the Tashkent Metro may rival those in Moscow, even considered by some to be the most beautiful in the world. But they remain largely obscure because photography inside the metro was not only strictly forbidden, but illegal until June 2018. Established in 1977, the Tashkent Metro is the oldest subway in Central Asia and seventh of the 13 metro systems in the former Soviet Union. It consists of four lines serving 48 stations, each of which is designed after a particular theme. The whole metro was originally planned to be a city-wide nuclear shelter, and the Uzbek government classified it as a military facility, which was the reason behind its decades-long ban on photography.  The metro is home to a hidden underground world of arches and chandeliers, marble columns, and mosque-like vaults. The styles range from classical to retro-futuristic, a legacy of Soviet architecture. Many of the stations are decorated with murals depicting scenes of historic interest, from a wall of blue and yellow mosaic tiles to ceramic reliefs inspired by the poetry of Ali-Shir Nava'i. One of the most notable stations is Kosmonavtlar ("Cosmonauts"), which is themed after space exploration. The architectural designs are inspired by the Milky Way, with specks of glass "stars" sparkling through the colonnade. Throughout the station, there are blue ceramic murals of space-related figures such as Ulugh Beg, Valentina Tereshkova, Yuri Gagarin, and even Icarus. The Alisher Navoiy station, on the other hand, leans more towards Islamic architecture, looking like a cyberpunk mosque. The fourth line of the Tashkent Metro, Circle Line, was only recently completed in 2020, along with the northern terminus of Yunusobod Line, Turkiston. It may not be as retro as the other stations, but it is meant to be a culmination of the metro's history—combining the distinct styles of Soviet and traditional Uzbek architecture, a modern masterpiece.  ( 13 min )

The remains of the Old Tunnel Mill are located in a horseshoe formed by the turns of the Muscatatuck River just outside of Vernon, Indiana.  All that is left of the massive two-and-a-half-story mill are a few foundation walls and a large chimney. Power for the mill was furnished by a race constructed in a manmade tunnel through a hill thereby diverting the Muscatatuck River. It was a marvel of engineering for 1824.  ( 12 min )

A disputed church in Priština, located on the campus of the University of Priština, has a complex history. Originally planned as part of an open-plan campus in the 1970s, it was later given to the Serbian Orthodox Church by the municipality, leading to tension and disputes. Construction began in 1992, but was halted multiple times due to a lack of funds as well as a deteriorating security situation in Kosovo. At first, the church was not well-received by all due to being seen as a symbol of Serbian rule. After all, according to Spasoje Krunić's design, the church would have 1,389 golden crosses—a reference to the year of the Battle of Kosovo, which is particularly important to Serbian history, tradition, and national identity at large. After the war in 1999, the building survived attempts of destruction and was placed under protection. The future of the church remains uncertain, with ownership still being disputed between the University of Priština and the Serbian Orthodox Church. Calls for demolition have led to vandalism and desecration. The Eparchy of Raška and Prizren conducted a religious ceremony on the grounds in 2021, sparking criticism and protests. The church, therefore, remains a contentious symbol in Pristina. Originally intended to be a prominent religious structure, it now stands as an urban semi-ruin, protected by a barbed wire fence set up by KFOR soldiers.  ( 12 min )

According to legend, Sun Quan, King of the Wu Kingdom, came into possession of the cremated remains of Buddha. To house these relics, the king ordered the construction of 13 pagodas, and Longhua Pagoda is rumored to be one of them. Longhua is a Buddhist temple, dedicated to the Maitreya Buddha. It was originally built in 242, and although most of the current buildings are reconstructions, as Longhua was destroyed towards the end of the Tang dynasty and rebuilt in 977. The temple preserves the architectural designs of a Song dynasty monastery, which follow the principles of the Chan School.  Most buildings in the temple have been rebuilt several times throughout its history, and a restoration of the whole temple was carried out in 1954. The temple complex is made up of five main halls, …  ( 13 min )

“Hands aren’t just for typing and texting, but for creating,” says Pasquale Marinelli, a bell artisan in Italy. Pasquale and his brother Armando are the 26th generation of a family who has been crafting handmade bells since the middle ages. Pouring scalding-hot liquid metal into carefully designed molds, the two sweat over glowing embers, working with 10 centuries worth of knowledge in order to spread a medieval chime around the world. Naturally, such historical work is done in an ancient town called Agnone. Located in Italy’s isolated and rugged southern region of Molise, the quiet stone village lies squarely in a mountainous valley, where green hills roll into each other like waves and hay barrels freckle the land like drops of gold. It’s here, teetering at the top of a rocky outcrop, …  ( 25 min )

Deeply cut into the high mountains, the Hammersbach torrent plunges over boulders and falls from foam over rocky ledges into pools. Difficult sections lead through electrically lit tunnels filled with a dull roar. The air is fresh and clear with every breath, especially during the summer. The rocky gorge is easily accessible, less than a mile long, and offers a completely different charm than other gorges and ravines.  ( 12 min )

The design of the former College Life Insurance Company headquarters, or the Pyramids as they are commonly known, was the brainchild of the famed architect Kevin Roche. For Roche (who trained under Eero Saarinen and designed such celebrated buildings as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Ford Foundation Headquarters), the inspiration for the buildings was a piece of concrete he saw on the side of the road, which resembled a pyramid. At the time, Roche was working on a design for the College Life Insurance Company in Indianapolis. He thought the pyramidal concrete was an appropriately functional shape for the then-thriving business, which wanted to incrementally add building capacity as the size of its personnel grew. Roche's initial vision was to add additional pyramids as more office space was needed, for a total of nine buildings. However, only three were built during the initial construction period in 1971. The three buildings, collectively known as the Pyramids, are the most impressive structures on the 200-acre College Park development. Built in a slick brutalist style, each building is constructed of two gleaming blue exterior walls supported by reinforced concrete, which comprise the other two walls. Each pyramid is 11 stories tall, contains over 120,000 square footage, and is connected via a network of underground and aboveground passages. All three overlook a 25-acre lake. Today, the Pyramids are owned by Indiana-based real estate development firm KennMarr and are currently undergoing renovation. Sightseers need not worry, though: the exterior aesthetics that make the Pyramids so iconic will remain intact.  ( 13 min )

Perched high above the Sonoma Coast, about three miles north of Fort Ross, is a striking obelisk that might catch your eye. Known as the Madonna of Peace, it's hidden in a tiny state park (the second smallest in California) right behind the Timber Cove Resort.  The sculpture (also called "Peace Obelisk" or "The Expanding Universe") is one of several in Northern California by Italian artist Beniamino "Benny" Bufano and is an example of his anti-war viewpoint. The sculpture is shaped roughly like a missile, and was created around the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It was the final of his "projectiles of peace," completed just months before the artist died in 1970. His first sculpture in the series was a 34-foot-tall monument simply titled Peace. It debuted at the 1939 Golden Gate International Exposition in San Francisco. Bufano wanted to build another, larger projectile of peace. In the 1950s, he traveled to the Soviet Union and proposed the idea to Soviet Premier Nikolai Bulganin, who declined the artist's offer. But when Bufano was commissioned to create a sculpture in Timber Cove in the 1960s, he took the opportunity to create a towering monument to peace. The obelisk was built out of donated materials: redwood, steel, fiberglass, and mosaic tile. It took about a year to build the 68-foot body of the sculpture, but when it came time to place the head on top they found it was too heavy. For years, the head sat next to the base of the incomplete statue. In 1969, a special crane was brought in to lift the head into its rightful place, but it was accidentally placed backward. In February 1970, a second face was installed on the statue. Bufano died just a few months later in August.  ( 13 min )

Italy may have the Aperol spritz but Hungary has fröccs. Fröccs (roughly pronounced “frurtch") is a wine and soda water drink (it's always soda water, never fizzy mineral water) that's a summertime rite of passage in Budapest's ruin bars, café patios, and on many an apartment balcony or roof terrace. (Many people even have soda water delivered to their homes, à la the milkman of yore.)  Drinking fröccs is a codified business. When it comes to ordering your glass, you have to decide if you are a "Mayor" (Polgármester), "Railway Watchman’s Mother-in-Law" (Bakteranyós), or a "Landlord" (Háziúr), to name just a few variations. The names represent the ratio of wine to soda water, measured in deciliters. While orders like the Mayor and Landlord correspond to respective ratios of 6:4 and 4:1, t…  ( 15 min )

Located in Berlin's Treptower Park, Archenhold Observatory is one of the largest and oldest public observatories in the world, operating since 1896. The entire observatory is built around the Großer Refraktor (Great Refractor), an enormous cannon-like telescope designed by Friedrich Simon Archenhold. Unlike most other telescopes at the time, this one was freely rotating and made as long as possible to get the sharpest images it could. The telescope, which is nicknamed the Himmelskanone (German for "celestial cannon" or "sky cannon"), was built for the 1896 Berlin Trade Exhibition, an event where new and revolutionary technology would be showcased. Unfortunately, the project took more time and money than expected, so it was completed late and without a proper building around it. After…  ( 13 min )

Some believe that these ruins gave their name to the nearby pit village of Bearpark.  The belief is the name is a corruption of the French term "Beau Repaire" the name given to the Priory. Beaurepaire Priory was originally built by the Prior of Durham in charge of the Priory and Convent of Durham, Bertram de Middleton, in 1258 to be a country seat and his home in his retirement. It was visited by royalty on numerous occasions between 1296 and 1335, with visits by Kings Edward I, Edward II, and Edward III. Over the centuries the priory was expanded several times. It took on a role similar to that of nearby Finchale Priory and acted as a retreat for the monks of Durham. The retreat was popular because, at just three miles from Durham City, it allowed the monks to attend daily mass easily. The priory was heavily damaged following the nearby Battle of Neville's Cross and subsequently rebuilt and repaired by Prior Fossour. It suffered further during the British Civil War when the Priory was largely destroyed by the attacking Scots, with large assaults in 1640 and again four years later. The park surrounding the priory supplied it with wood, coal, and building materials. It was also used as a stud for the prior's horses. Most of what is left of Beaurepaire ranges from ankle-high to waist-high ruined walls.  However, there are a few sections that tower over visitors and with imagination it is possible to conceive that this was a once magnificent building.  ( 13 min )

In Buddhism, the Five Hundred Arhats are the most loyal of the Buddha’s disciples, who attended the religion's first council at Rājagṛha (modern Rajgir) right after the Buddha's final nirvana to compile his teachings into scriptures. Several Japanese and Chinese temples are home to statues of the Arhats, which are said to bring good luck to visitors. One of Japan’s three most popular arhat temple is Kita-in in Kawagoe, a quaint city about an hour away from Tokyo. Its famed sculpture garden contains a total of 538 statues, including the Great Buddha, Amitabha, Ksitigarbha, and the Bodhisattvas. They were sculpted in the late Edo period, from 1782 to 1825, at the suggestion of a local monk named Shijo. They have since stood in the temple garden, collecting layers of moss and lichen. Interestingly, the sculptures are not all serious and hard-faced. There is an endearing sense of humor to many of the arhats at Kita-in Temple, a touch of human nature, something even relatable to us living two centuries ahead of them. For example, one arhat can be seen reclining and taking up his neighbor's space, who appears to be (understandably) annoyed but keeping it cool. Another arhat lies resting his cheeks on his hands, in a manner perhaps resembling that of a teenage girl gossiping at a sleepover. While some meditate solemnly, some are laughing, crying, sneezing, and there is even a monk who is definitely picking his nose. Each of the arhat statues is uniquely sculpted, making it a fun experience to explore the enclosure and enjoy the multi-faceted essence of Buddhist art.  ( 14 min )

Between 1850 and 1852, a mighty, squat stone fort rose from a low-lying island in the Milford Haven Waterway in Wales. Originally proposed by Thomas Cromwell, chief minister to King Henry VIII, more than 300 years earlier, Stack Rock Fort—about 800 yards off the coast—was built to protect the Royal Dockyard at Pembroke Dock from attack by sea. It had a 30-foot tower, walls nine feet and nine inches thick, and housed three large cannons and one smaller one. A few years later casemates were added, and by 1870, the fort got a major makeover, inspired by the threat of Napoleon III. A new battery was added, able to hold up to 175 soldiers and five officers. Most of the fort’s useful life was spent undergoing upgrades, and it only really saw active use during World War I. In 1929 it was finally …  ( 27 min )

A new sculpture by Daniel Popper, and a permanent addition to the new community of Aurora Highlands.  Cast in resin and standing about 25 feet, Umi will continue to greet new homeowners and visitors to Hogan Park for the foreseeable future.  ( 12 min )

Sometime around 1933, two teenage cousins, Harry Hall and Will Cubbon, paid a visit to a new friend of theirs named Gef. Gef lived in a remote, windswept farmhouse on the Isle of Man. He was very shy, and the cousins could hear and talk to him, but never saw their new friend. From behind a wall, Gef would guess heads-or-tails when a coin was flipped or play catch with a rubber ball through a hole in the attic ceiling. But soon, Gef began misbehaving: spitting and threatening the boys that he would “wet on [their] head!” Gef, it turns out, was no normal boy—he was a poltergeist in the form of a talking mongoose. Doarlish Cashen, the farmhouse where Gef resided, was in many ways the stereotypical haunted house. It was an ancient farmstead on a notoriously fairy-filled, desolate isle, sit…  ( 20 min )

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Indeed, the year of the mega-fires in West and East Canada, with Kelowna (and UBC Okanagan where BIRS 23w5106 took place) severely hit. Travelling through BC by car and plane, we saw several wildfire fume clouds, incl. a massive one from the Yellowknife region… Read a few dozen pages of Gene Wolfe’s The Knight, in […]  ( 8 min )

Indeed, the year of the mega-fires in West and East Canada, with Kelowna (and UBC Okanagan where BIRS 23w5106 took place) severely hit. Travelling through BC by car and plane, we saw several wildfire fume clouds, incl. a massive one from the Yellowknife region… Read a few dozen pages of Gene Wolfe’s The Knight, in […]  ( 8 min )

Time to get naked Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

My former creative writing instructor discusses his evolution as a writer and, more importantly, whether I was a pain-in-the-ass student Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 9 min )

Use these tips to be sure you book is professional and ready to reach readers Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »  ( 8 min )

From the Twitter / X account of the famous popular science writer and muckraker, Fang Zhouzi / Fang Shimin: 光禁止“日本人”“美国狗”入内哪够啊，还有欧盟、英国、澳大利亚、加拿大……呢？不如干脆搞一个白名单，只欢迎朝鲜人、俄国狗入内。 pic.twitter.com/fhVu6oMyZx — 方舟子 (@fangshimin) August 31, 2023 The sign says: Rìběn rénMěiguó gǒujìnzhǐ rùnèi 日本人美国狗禁止入内 "Japanese peopleAmerican dogsAre forbidden from entering" It seems that Americans are of a lower order than Japanese.  What did we […]  ( 7 min )

Email from John B.: Writing to you about a never-expected-to-see sentence, in a novel I’m reading. “And get some linguists out here as fast as you can.” (Well, but why not?) It’s a newly released off the wall novel, The Road to Roswell by Connie Willis. The heroine, Francie, has agreed to be maid of […]  ( 10 min )

"Chinese Song Streamed Billions of Times for ‘Satirical’ Vibe" By Miho Tamura / Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent Yomiuri Shimbun (August 29, 2023) Here's the song, with the lyrics in characters, pinyin romanization, and a poor English translation: There are several other inferior English translations on the internet.  I have yet to find one that is serviceable, […]  ( 10 min )

Over a dozen recipes that feature arugula, from salads to soups, pasta dishes, savory pies and more.  ( 16 min )

These recipes leverage the flavor and high melting point of coconut oil, from ice cream bars and cookie butter to potato doughnuts and rolled sugar cookies.  ( 15 min )

It’s lightweight, has convenient handles, and seared meats well during our testing.  ( 11 min )

We hold businesses strongly liable for lies, and even for truths that authorities call misleading. Ordinary people, in contrast, are mainly held liable only for lying under oath in court, lying to police officers, lying for clear financial gain, and when a factual claim defames one person to another sufficiently carelessly. Otherwise we are

In the exoplanet (and, before that, eclipsing-binary) communities, transit-timing variations are described in terms of a quantity called O−C (pronounced “oh minus sea”), which is the difference between the observed transit time and the “computed” transit time. Right now, Abby Shaum (CUNY) and I are using this terminology in our manuscript about phase variations in coherent pulsators with companions, at the behest of Keaton Bell (CUNY). Okay fine! But O−C has this terrible property, which is that the C part depends on the period or frequency you assume. You can completely change the appearance or morphology of an O−C plot just by slightly tweaking the period. And there is no true period of course! There is just whatever estimates you can make. Which are, in turn, affected by what you use to model the O−C. So it is absolutely awful in every way. Not a stable observable, people! Not even .identifiable  ( 14 min )

One thing that physics and mechanical engineering students learn early on is that there are often analogies between charge flow and heat flow, and this is reflected in the mathematical models we use to describe charge and heat transport.  We use Ohm's law, \(\mathbf{j}=\tilde{\sigma}\cdot \mathbf{E}\), which defines an electrical conductivity tensor \(\tilde{\sigma}\) that relates charge current density \(\mathbf{j}\) to electric fields \(\mathbf{E}=-\nabla \phi\), where \(\phi(\mathbf{r})\) is the electric potential.  Similarly, we can use Fourier's law for thermal conduction, \(\mathbf{j}_{Q} = - \tilde{\kappa}\cdot \nabla T\), where \(\mathbf{j}_{Q}\) is a heat current density, \(T(\mathbf{r})\) is the temperature distribution, and \(\tilde{\kappa}\) is the thermal conductivity.   We k…  ( 11 min )

It is not disputed that current AI is bringing more intelligence into the world, with more to follow yet.  Of course not everyone believes that augmentation is a good thing, or will be a good thing if we remain on our current path. To continue in aggregative terms, if you think “more intelligence” will be […] The post An aggregate Bayesian approach to more (artificial) intelligence? appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments “It is not disputed that current AI is bringing more ... by Ethan == To bad Crypto is so energy intensive. Same with AI too. ... by ged In reply to Phil S.. >Do better, Tyler. There is zero ... by DeQuan More stupidity is a good thing. Like mutations, most ideas are ... by anonprof In reply to Jess Riedel. More cheap energy is the single ... by DeQuan Plus 10 more... Related Stories The Relentless Rise of Stablecoins *The Conservative Futurist* AI update  ( 7 min )

Are these the “animal spirits” they like to talk about?  And is this also evidence of the growing politicization of the U.S. economy?: We document political sentiment effects on US inventors. Democratic inventors are more likely to patent (relative to Republicans) after the 2008 election of Obama but less likely after the 2016 election of […] The post Political Sentiment and Innovation appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to JWatts. Yes. Also they have essentially a sample ... by mkt42 In reply to Sashoir. This comment is way WAY underrated! by EdR In reply to TomWinTejas. “The ideas were rarely ... by Lord Action In reply to Lord Action. I think you are largely correct. My ... by TomWinTejas The only thing I can see that this paper shows is that we are ... by Sashoir Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

1. Scott Alexander defends the notion of automaticity. 2. Well, the Rolling Stones needed a bass player and a drummer… They have to cut “I Wanna’ Be Your Man,” right? 3. “Specifically, we show that men who post often on social media are seen as feminine, a phenomenon we refer to as the “frequent-posting femininity […] The post Thursday assorted links appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to cthulhu. I can personally vouch that Caltech has ... by Sam Brown Amazing set of links today. #6 is just fantastic. by Reason In reply to rsm. So your response to the challenges of life ... by Wanda In reply to Your Husband's Cane. People who get a C in ... by Wanda In reply to cthulhu. I'm guessing that the chief beneficiary ... by Steve Sailer Plus 10 more...  ( 6 min )

Here is the press release and more detail, I thank Schmidt Futures and Eddie Mandhry for their support, and there is a parallel initiative led by David Deming and Heidi Williams, focusing on the research side of talent identification (for that do not apply to Mercatus/EV).  Applications on the practitioner side for finding and developing […] The post New Emergent Ventures Vertical Supports Talent Identification Projects appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments David Deming is getting a lot of airplay, both in mainstream ... by mkt42 In reply to RAD. Thanks but That's the general EV grant ... by Rahul In reply to RAD. My guess is that that title was written in ... by dearieme In reply to Rahul. I think it should be: Applications for ... by RAD Link is broken in the announcement ... by Rahul Plus 2 more... Related Stories Magnificent Grants Italy fact of the day My Conversation with Vishy Anand  ( 6 min )

Before becoming Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni was one of the most strident voices on migration in the European Union. As an opposition politician, she warned darkly of efforts to substitute native Italians with ethnic minorities and promised to put in place a naval blockade to stop migrants crossing the Mediterranean. During her time in office, she has taken […] The post Italy fact of the day appeared first on Marginal REVOLUTION.         Comments In reply to Student. Typo super star. So DON’T give them ... by Student In reply to Anti-Gnostic. And this goes straight to my point ... by Zach In reply to M. Sorry! I was looking at real GDP for 2023, ... by Zach In reply to Anti-Gnostic. And just to tie it all together, we ... by Zach In reply to M. I don't like to bring up nominal GDP growth in ... by Horhe Plus 10 more... Related Stories SpaceX Versus the Department of Justice The Mother Church of the Common Law New Emergent Ventures Vertical Supports Talent Identification Projects  ( 7 min )

Plus: Arrests made in Raspberry Island fatal shooting; why there are no lesbian bars in Minnesota; the Space Tower at the Minnesota State Fair has been shut down; and more.  ( 6 min )

In 2017, Puerto Rico experienced two major hurricanes; Irma and Maria. On the trip, the group from Minnesota visited the town of Comerío, one of the many places impacted by Maria.  ( 18 min )

California’s Prop. 12 establishes new minimum requirements on farmers to provide more space for breeding pigs and requires they certify they have complied in order to sell pork.  ( 18 min )

Quie represented a Republican Party that remembered the value of genuine debate and compromise, and the importance and possibility of maintaining political and personal integrity while creating public policy.  ( 17 min )

The report said rural housing policy should be tailored to the needs of marginalized groups, many of whom are at greater risk of living in substandard housing.  ( 10 min )

Plus: Connie Evingson celebrates the horn at Crooner's; Cindy Lawson and her band at Palmer's, and Sophia Chai photography at Hair + Nails.  ( 11 min )

Plus: Southwest Light Rail deficit near $400 million; train derailment near U.S.-Canada Border sends two to the hospital; Minneapolis pet owners surrendering animals to shelters at high rates; and more.  ( 7 min )

Access DataCamp’s entire platform for free until September 3, 11.59 PM EST! This one-time deal covers all 440+ data and AI courses. No catch, no credit card required—just unlimited learning for anyone with internet access.  Start Now What is Free Access Week? Free week is exactly that, a free week to ... Continue reading: Access DataCamp’s entire platform for free until September 3, 11.59 PM EST!  ( 11 min )

Simple guide for simple shiny application  TL;DR I made shiny application in github page with quarto. You can check code in my github repository and result, result2 How we use shiny Shiny is R package to make user utilize R with web browser without install it. So my company ... Continue reading: Build serverless shiny application via Github page  ( 18 min )

Round two is here! The R Consortium Infrastructure Steering Committee (ISC) orchestrates two rounds of proposal calls and grant awards per year to fortify the R ecosystem’s technical infrastructure. We... Continue reading: Grants For R Language Infrastructure Projects Available Now!  ( 9 min )

Join our workshop on Introduction to Deep Learning with torch in R, which is a part of our workshops for Ukraine series!  Here’s some more info:  Title: Deep Learning with torch in R Date: Thursday, September 28th, 18:00 – 20:00 CEST (Rome, Berlin, Paris timezone) Speaker: Daniel Falbel, Daniel is a software ... Continue reading: Deep Learning with torch in R workshop  ( 11 min )

Introduction Continue reading: Creating Eye-Catching Data Visualizations with Lollipop Charts in R using ggplot2  ( 12 min )

My sticky note is full! And luckily all functions on it can be squeezed into a similar topic: making things smaller! Continue reading: R functions that shorten/filter stuff: less is more  ( 10 min )

Also private equity recruiting, Gabon’s blue bonds and Ben & Jerry’s securities fraud.  ( 2 min )

Marc Tessier-Lavigne, whose resignation as president of Stanford University becomes effective today, is retracting two papers from Science following an institutional investigation that found data manipulation in multiple figures.  Both articles, “Hierarchical Organization of Guidance Receptors: Silencing of Netrin Attraction by Slit Through a Robo/DCC Receptor Complex,” and “Binding of DCC by Netrin-1 to Mediate … Continue reading Stanford president retracts two Science papers following investigation  ( 10 min )

Researchers in Hawaii are studying the effects of the deadly blazes on its island of Maui, including how they have impacted drinking-water quality and might affect local marine ecosystems

Here are solutions to improve students’ emotional, physical, and mental health and to boost educational outcomes

A study of 27,500 patients in the U.K.’s health system suggests that getting people into mental health treatment faster is a huge boon of online therapy

Olive trees in Spain and neighboring countries have little fruit, which itself could wither away

Physicists Ruth Howes and Caroline Herzenberg’s ten-year research project ensured a place in history for the female scientists, engineers and technicians who worked on the atomic bomb

The long-awaited discovery of oxygen 28 might prompt physicists to revamp theories of how atomic nuclei are structured

Recently, I decided to stop avoiding puns and childish math jokes. So I am posting a lot of famous jokes I have heard before but never added to my collection. * * * —What are ten things you can always count on?—Your fingers. * * * —Why should you never mention the number 288?—Because it’s […]  ( 5 min )

I pointed some colleagues to this post, The so-called “lucky golf ball”: The Association for Psychological Science promotes junk science while ignoring the careful, serious work of replication, and they sent along some comments: Correspondent #1: I think the strangest … Continue reading →  ( 10 min )

Team Ratings for Round 27 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Panthers 12.14 12.99 -0.90 Storm 8.71 11.21 -2.50 Broncos 6.63 -5.92 12.60 Cowboys […] NRL Predictions for Round 27 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

Team Ratings for Round 3 The basic method is described on my Department home page. Here are the team ratings prior to this week’s games, along with the ratings at the start of the season. Current Rating Rating at Season Start Difference Stade Toulousain 7.05 7.24 -0.20 Stade Rochelais 6.37 6.40 -0.00 Bordeaux Begles 3.65 […] Top 14 Predictions for Round 3 first appeared on Stats Chat.  ( 4 min )

Drugs, cognitive behavioral therapy, and other medical interventions can help individuals relieve the marked emotional, behavioral, and physical changes that occur with premenstrual dysphoric disorder. But to fully support those with PMDD, society needs to address the cultural and social factors involved.  ( 14 min )

I spent much of the summer in Vermont ensconced in a hermit's cottage reading, writing, and, of course, running through the Green Mountains and verdant woods.  When I left last week to come back for the fall semester at Penn, I brought with me about fifty bottle gourds (Lagenaria siceraria) that had been abandoned by […]  ( 11 min )

From the MIT International Student Office: Blue moons are best known from the phrase “once in a blue moon,” which means “extremely rarely.” The first recorded use of this idiomatic phrase is in an anti-clerical flyer in 1528, published by William Roy and Jeremy Barlowe. In reference to the clerical corruptions, one said in Old […]  ( 11 min )

There's a stretch of U.S. Route 50 running straight through the middle of Nevada that has been dubbed the "Loneliest Road in America." But another Nevada highway might have a better claim to the title. U.S. Highway 6, named the "Grand Army of the Republic" highway in honor of the Union Army during the Civil War, was one of the earliest coast-to-coast numbered routes. It was extended into Nevada in 1937, the stretch from Ely (pronounced "EE-lee") to Tonopah following the Midland Trail, an early “national auto trail” also called the Roosevelt Trail. The route of U.S. 6 in Nevada has gone largely unchanged since 1937. It crosses Nevada mostly to the south of US 50, and in the nearly 300 miles between the Utah state line and the California state line, there are only two towns with populati…  ( 15 min )

In the township of Itakura, Gunma, a bizarre sculpture lurks in the sleepy, poorly-lit lobby of a local community center.  An eldritch entity composed of countless coleopteran corpses in the style of Oogie Boogie, the Konchū Senju-Kannon is the stuff of entomophobic nightmares. Haloed by the iridescent sheen of jewel beetles’ carapaces and crowned with a longicorn cocoon, the goddess sits on a throne of creepy-crawlies with the mandibles of stag beetles jutting out in every direction. At her feet, a swarm of drone beetles make up the pedestal, giving a bronze-green luster to it. Neatly composed of over 20,000 insect specimens, the Konchū Senju-Kannon ("thousand-armed insect goddess of mercy") was created over a span of six years by one Mr. Inamura, an Itakura local who pursued the hobby of insect collecting. In Japan, the collector's typical game consists of different kinds of beetles, such as the rhinoceros, stag, and longicorn, quite common in the countryside. Bright green with tints of rainbow, the jewel beetle has been highly valued for its rare beauty since antiquity, most notably used in the eighth century to make the Tamamushi Shrine of Hōryū-ji. No doubt inspired by this National Treasure, the goddess of Itakura is also modeled after the Kannon statue enshrined at Tōshōdai-ji Temple. Perhaps ironically, this particular statue is dedicated to all the lives of insects lost at the hands of mankind, be it a victim of pesticide or specimen-making. Known as mushi-kuyō, the practice of memorializing insects is not itself an uncommon tradition in Japanese Buddhism (as seen in Ueno and Kamakura) if not as elaborate as the Insect Goddess. Depending on the viewer, the goddess may be breathtaking or stomach-turning, exquisite or eccentric, a work of goodwill or hypocrisy. Regardless of your opinion, she continues to sit in the shadows in a perpetual state of prayer, full of mercy towards the little creatures.  ( 13 min )

The Jimbocho district of Tokyo is known for its decades-old cafés. Viennese coffee was first introduced to the Japanese public in 1953 at the Ladrio, one of the java joints situated in a narrow alley. The rich, potent concoction quickly became a favorite spot of countless authors, artists, publishers, bibliophiles, and college students, who liked it as it stayed hot underneath the thick layer of whipped cream as they sat discussing for hours on end. That same year, the café opened a sister location right across the alley named “Milongo,” which advertised itself as an Argentine tango café. It may seem like a niche genre today, but post-war Japan was in the midst of a dance craze at the time. Its influences are also evident in some of the popular music of the later Shōwa era. Milonga has maintained its musical theme over the years, even after the fever all but died out elsewhere. To this day, it keeps on playing Argentine tango music on vinyl, filling the warmly lit room with comfortable Latin crooning and phonographic crackles.  The café underwent a major renovation in 1995 and renamed itself as Milonga Nueva: the new Milonga. It was now home to charcoal-roasted coffee and numerous brands of beer from around the world, even while the music remained. To this day, the interior is decorated with an impressive collection of vintage LP records, books, bottles and coasters. In 2023, the Milonga Nueva had to relocate due to the original brick-walled building growing deteriorated from age. Fortunately, it did not stray much farther, spiritually or physically. Even though it's now housed in a newer building, the vibe hasn't changed drastically; Argentine tango still plays all day, and the menu boasts smoky coffee and a good selection of beer, along with its famous pizza, Japanese-style curry, and biscotti.  ( 15 min )

For Eastern Europeans, arcades elicit a healthy dose of nostalgia—perhaps even more so than people from other places with a history of arcades. In Eastern Europe, arcades survived well into the 2000s as a viable business model. Often in the form of mobile arcades that drove around to smaller towns in the summer. The Krakow Arcade Museum brings all of that back to life with a massive collection of over 100 vintage machines. In communist Poland, a single arcade machine could cost as much as a new car and would cost about .50 Euros to play a machine. Despite that, they were massively popular. Most machines paid themselves off within a month and went on the make a profit after that.  A lot of arcade machines lasted well into the 2000s in dedicated arcades or on game trucks that drove to smaller towns and villages. Today, the Krakow Arcade Museum has collected over 100 games ranging from classics, such as Packman, to newer games, such as Dance Dance Revolution. At the arcade, you pay per hour of play. This way you do not have to worry about coins or credits, but can just play whatever you want.  ( 13 min )

Some 19,000 years ago, glacial meltwaters cut through sandstone, leaving unique rock formations locals say are shaped like animals. An eagle with outstretched wings is widely remarked as the most recognizable naturally-carved sandstone shape. Other shapes include a dinosaur, an elephant, and an alligator. Moss and ferns dot the sides of the sandstone, and gorges get narrower the further in you go, giving it a tunnel-like quality. Wildlife such as raccoons can be seen even during the day tucked away in the holes on the sides of the canyon. This area is the furthest south in North America where the Eastern or Canadian Hemlock Pine can be found, its seeds having traveled with glaciers, and visitors can enjoy seeing its tiny pine cones.  ( 13 min )

Dunadd Fort rises tall from what is called Moine Mhor, meaning the "great moss" an expanse of flat boggy land at the southern end of Kilmartin Glen. The site was the center of power for the Gaelic kings of Dál Riata, who ruled Scotland from about 500 to 800. Dunadd is one of the few places referenced in early histories, with its first mention in the year 673. It is obvious why Dunadd was considered a desirable position to build a fortification and why it went on to become the center of a kingdom. Standing in a natural boggy basin, the fort sits on top of the hillside, which was put to good use as part of the fort's natural defenses. To get to the citadel at the top level of the hill you have to pass through a narrow natural passage, as well as a series of terraces, each with the remains …  ( 14 min )

During the 1950s, the new West Berlin government called many famous architects from all across the world to come and rebuild the destroyed city. One of these architects was Le Corbusier. The Swiss-French architect, writer, designer, urban planner, and painter was then at the height of his renown. Le Corbusier, who was born Charles-Edouard Jeanneret, had by then already designed several of these "Unité d'Habitation" apartment buildings. The first was in Marseille in 1952, followed by one in Nantes, France in 1955. When he presented his plans for the Unité d'Habitation of Berlin to the West Berlin government, the building was deemed too large to be built in the city's center. Eventually, construction began in 1956 in an outer Berlin suburb known as Flatowallee.  Le Corbusier and local authorities had more disagreements, however. The original plan of the building called for many community amenities, including such as a kindergarten on the roof and shops on the seventh floor. But those amenities were never built, and instead, giving way to more housing.  The apartments were also altered from Le Corbusier's original plan. German building regulations required the carefully designed spaces to have taller ceilings--something that to Le Corbusier's mind disrupted the balance of the space.  Eventually, a children's playground was added on the grounds and a laundrette, bank, supermarket, and post office were all crammed into the first floor. But Le Corbusier was already fed up with the project by then and refused to have any association with it.  ( 13 min )

The Moche civilization, also known as the Mochica culture, was an ancient civilization that thrived along the northern coast of present-day Peru from around the years 100 to 800. Renowned for their impressive artistic achievements, advanced agricultural practices, erotic pottery, and complex social organization, the Moche people left a lasting impact on the region's history. Religion played a central role in Mochica society. They worshipped a pantheon of deities, with the "Decapitator" being one of the most prominent figures that was often depicted in their art. Ritual human sacrifices were performed to appease these gods and ensure agricultural prosperity and social order.  Moche is also the name of a town located near the city of Trujillo on the northern coast of Peru. While this town is known for its renowned beaches along the Pacific Ocean, a hidden history awaits those who seek it. A pathway adorned with contemporary depictions of Mochica Gods, now winds its way towards these shores. Embark on a unique journey where each deity comes to life through modern sculptures portraying eerie or awe-inspiring creatures. From the enigmatic half-man and half-crab, to the imposing humanoid evil-looking fish, a total of 10-20 statues bring their stories to life. Each statue is accompanied by informative details about the corresponding deity. (You can find a similar assemblage of statues in the town of Chiclayo, Peru, called the Paseo Yortuque.) As you traverse this evocative pathway, you'll encounter illustrated arcs that add an extra layer of aesthetic detail. The route culminates close to the ocean's edge, offering a seamless segue for visiting the beaches of Acapulco or Playa de las Delicias.  ( 13 min )

It is only when you step onto the grounds that you begin to realize the size of Old Gray. Not only is it steeped in local history but it also has an almost hypnotic allure. Enormous hackberry and oak trees shade the cemetery, which dates back to 1850. From the Confederate soldier memorials to the statue of the little girl—often littered with offerings of flowers and fruit—you cannot help but be overcome with curiosity and wonderment at the stories that ultimately ended here.  ( 13 min )

Led by artist and stonemason Austin Emery, 'The Cornerstone' is a community artwork made up of numerous individual hand-carved stone blocks. The blocks were created by public participants consisting of 100 children and adults from the nearby Whites Grounds Estates, as well as the wider community, in public workshops who sported goggles, mallets, and chisels for the effort. What makes the work more curious is that the stone blocks consisted of fragments from Southwark Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, and the Houses of Parliament, as well as bone fragments found on the foreshore of the Thames. This is symbolic in the art piecing together aspects of London's history, especially that of Bermondsey, which was once a bustling area of commerce due to its proximity to the Thames. The idea was to create a piece of living art heritage for the communities from the estates around Bermondsey. As a result, a quirky and eye-catching creation now stands as a sort of landmark in this rather touristic part of town, the artist having initiated the project with the goal of making a project further influenced by residents of the area.  ( 13 min )

Hastings Pisces Pete is a stainless steel rendition of walleye that measures 12 feet long and stands 12 feet tall. Canadian artist Bill Lishman designed the sculpture as a tribute to the local game fishing tradition. This enormous piscine statue represents one of the most prized catches in the region.  ( 12 min )

Go-en is a significant aspect of Japanese culture, a unique concept of relationship, causality, serendipity, opportunity, and fate. It's somewhat similar in spirit to the phrase "God willing" in monotheistic cultures, but more hopeful and associated with good luck in general. The word is also commonly used in romantic context, and many Shinto shrines are popular for their influence in en-musubi ("tying the knot"). Takagi Shrine in Sumida City, Tokyo, is one of the few shrines in Japan dedicated to Takami-Musubi, an androgynous deity of creation and birth, who was born as the second entity in the universe's history according to Japanese mythology. Because of their name, the shrine is associated with the concept of en-musubi, as well as, well, rice balls. In Japan, rice balls are known as onigiri and omusubi, meaning "clasped" and "fastened," respectively. At Takagi Shrine, you can find them everywhere, piles of tiny pebbles with cute faces and seaweed wrappers drawn on them. Hidden like Easter eggs, even in the guardian lion-dog's mouth, the rounded triangles are easily distinguishable and can be also seen in the prayer boards, amulets, you name it. Visitors can also take a tiny "musubi stone" home upon purchasing a goshuin stamp. Interestingly, despite the extensive musubi-inspired theming, the shrine's main subject of worship was not Takami-Musubi when it was established in 1468 AD. Prior to the Shinto-Buddhism separation of 1868, the shrine was managed by the adjacent Buddhist temple and originally known as Dairokutensha, dedicated to Dairoku-Tenma-Ō, the "Devil King of the Sixth Heaven." Identified with the demon Mara, this Buddhist Devil is known as an evil tempter and deceiver of monks. In spite of that, there still are multiple Dairokutensha shrines across Japan. Some believe that they may have been influenced by Oda Nobunaga, the most infamous warlord of feudal Japan, who gave himself the moniker of the Devil King to instill fear into his enemies.  ( 13 min )

Far from their usual forest hideouts, lynx hunt in fallow fields and fall asleep on asphalt roads. Wolves thrive in abandoned villages, denning and breeding in cemeteries. Throughout the Polesie State Radioecological Reserve (PSRR) in southern Belarus, the density of both species is exceptionally high. And another apex predator visits often: Brown bears pass through almost every summer. Here, on the Belarusian side of the massive area emptied of humans by the 1986 Chernobyl disaster, the story of these animals has remained unknown to most of the world. While Ukraine opened its Chernobyl Exclusion Zone to scientists from abroad, Belarus restricted access, allowing only its own researchers. For more than 35 years, this small group of dedicated scientists has observed and documented unexpec…  ( 20 min )

After Austrian Empress Elisabeth married Emperor Franz Joseph in Vienna in 1854, her wedding dress disappeared. Commonly known as Sisi, the Empress has long been quite the celebrity in Europe. Her rebellious nature has been depicted in films like Corsage and the chart-topping Netflix series The Empress. Yet, despite her popularity, Empress Sisi’s wedding dress has been veiled in secrecy for almost 200 years. Now, thanks to a series of clues, Austrian researcher Dr. Monica Kurzel-Runtscheiner may have solved the ancient sartorial puzzle. Knowledge of this dress has always been hidden. That’s because journalists, illustrators, or anyone who could chronicle the event were banned from the Imperial wedding. With no confirmed images or detailed descriptions of the gown, the dress became a myst…  ( 19 min )

Listen and subscribe on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all major podcast apps. In this episode of The Atlas Obscura Podcast, we sit down with Brent Underwood, who like a lot of people in 2020, moved to a faraway place to escape urban life amid the global pandemic. But Underwood's story is a bit unusual—he bought and moved to an abandoned town. We check in, three years later. To learn more about Brent Underwood and Cerro Gordo, you can check out their Instagram and Youtube channel, Ghost Town Living. Our podcast is an audio guide to the world’s wondrous, awe-inspiring, strange places. In under 15 minutes, we’ll take you to an incredible site, and along the way you’ll meet some fascinating people and hear their stories. Join us daily, Monday through Thursday, to explore a new wonder with cofounder Dylan Thuras and a neighborhood of Atlas Obscura reporters.  ( 13 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

Visit the post for more.  ( 6 min )

The key thing to make your code run faster is to avoid building large linear-algebra objects. For example, if you need to get the matrix product A.x, where A is a huge matrix and x is a long vector, and you only ever use the matrix A to do this one multiply by x, there is no reason to actually create A. Just create a function that evaluates A.x for any input x. That should be way faster, because of less memory allocation, and because you don't have to make the parts of the matrix that are all zeros (for example). Matt Daunt (NYU) and I discussed all this at length today, as we profiled code. This comment has some overlap with Section 9 of .this paper  ( 14 min )

We can understand separable commutative algebras using Kaehler differentials!  ( 12 min )

Qualitative academic writing feels sorta insane, but why? Is it even worthwhile? Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »

Continue reading on The Writing Cooperative »

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A former researcher at the University of Utah has filed for a temporary restraining order against the U.S. government agency that last week barred her from receiving federal funds.  Ivana Frech – formerly Ivana De Domenico – “engaged in research misconduct by intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly falsifying and/or fabricating” images in three different papers whose … Continue reading Researcher sues U.S. government following debarment, misconduct finding  ( 8 min )

On July 21, Derek Woollins received an email asking that an article be withdrawn from a journal he supposedly helped edit.  But although Woollins was listed on the journal’s website as a member of its editorial board, he had never even heard of the publication.  Woollins, a professor of synthetic chemistry at the University of … Continue reading ‘Unethical and misleading’: Researcher finds his name on editorial boards of journals he’s never heard of  ( 8 min )

August gets not only a second full moon but a rare super blue moon

Ten medications, costing tens of billions of dollars, will be the first to be subject to Medicare price negotiations

Floodwaters from hurricanes, sea-level rise, a burst dam or other causes can contain a nasty mix of pathogens, chemicals and debris

A checklist derived from six neuroscience-based theories of consciousness could help assess whether an artificial intelligence system achieves this state

Xenotransplants could help to solve the organ transplant crisis—if researchers can get the science right.

Understanding the ancient past is critical to responding to challenges we face in the future

Does the prevalence of same-sex encounters in a group of Puerto Rican monkeys enhance their ability to pass along their genes?

Jonathan How and his team at the Aerospace Controls Laboratory develop planning algorithms that allow autonomous vehicles to navigate dynamic environments without colliding.  ( 9 min )